Council has expanded the gardening permissions for residents in the City-owned boulevard next to their property. While a permit is not required, there are safety considerations and rules to follow.
What’s new:
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Owners and tenants can replace the grass in the boulevard abutting residential property with an alternative groundcover that grows to 20cm. This includes in areas around a municipal tree, fire hydrant or on the slope of a ditch.
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Residents can plant food in their boulevard garden.
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Raised garden beds, containers and plant supports are allowed in some areas (details on ottawa.ca/rightofway)
Keep in mind:
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Utility locates are required (Ontario OneCall) and only hand-digging is permitted.
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Noxious weeds and invasive species are not permitted in the boulevard.
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The maximum plant height (including raised garden bed or container height) is 1.0 metre or 0.75 metre for corner lots.
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Materials such as river rock, stones, concrete, brick and pavers are not allowed in the boulevard.
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There are areas of the boulevard where you cannot plant a garden or place a raised garden bed or containers, including under municipal trees and within a ditch.
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The City cannot guarantee the suitability of the boulevard or the soil for food production, however there are appropriate ways to mitigate the risks.
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The City and utilities are not responsible for protecting, repair, replacing or reinstating a boulevard garden damaged while doing work.
It is up to each resident to judge the suitability of their location and ability to maintain a garden before starting a gardening project.
Visit ottawa.ca/rightofway to learn more about residential boulevard gardens, the rules to follow, how to identify the boulevard next to your property and special considerations for growing food in this space.
