THUNDER BAY — Erin Beagle says the later start to the growing season in northwestern Ontario gives local supporters of community gardens more time to try to convince the provincial government to declare the gardens essential.
Beagle, the executive director of Roots to Harvest, notes that there's still several weeks before planting time arrives in Thunder Bay.
Under the Emergency Management and Protection Act, community gardens are included in the mandated closure of outdoor facilities in the effort to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Organizations that operate gardens around Ontario say they are necessary for the health and well-being of tens of thousands of families, and should be excluded from the ban.
"There has been a marked increase in demand for this service since the beginning of COVID-19 across Ontario," states a letter to Premier Doug Ford from Sustain Ontario, an alliance of groups that promote farming and heatlhy food.
The letter adds "community food production is seen as integral to the COVID-19 response in countries throughout the world, particularly as food prices increase and global food supplies are increasingly uncertain."
Roots to Harvest operates two urban farms – near the Lakehead Board of Education offices on Lillie Street, and at the Volunteer Pool on Martha Street.
Community gardens are situated at each site.
There are also about nine other community gardens scattered around Thunder Bay in various neighbourhoods and locations such as near the Lakehead University hangar.
"There are a number of people who will be affected by not being able to participate in the gardens this summer," Beagle said, adding that she believes there are ways to mitigate the risk of contact with the COVID-19 virus.
"Maybe it's new policies, maybe it's not sharing tools, reducing the number of people who can be there at once, and having ways to wash hands. There are ways to solve these problems," she said.
There are some signs that the government may be willing to reconsider its position on community gardens.
Sustain Ontario reported this week that multiple provincial government departments have been meeting to discuss ways to safely exempt them from the closure order.
Even if the exemption is granted, Roots to Harvest will still be unable to run its youth employment program at the two urban farms, which use property made available by the City of Thunder Bay and the school board.
The program provides jobs for 15-to-18 year olds at one location, and 18-to-30-year-olds at the other.
Beagle said Roots to Harvest has agreed not to operate the youth job program this summer "because it just brings a whole bunch more people to the same site, and our programs are pretty hands-on. We would, for example, sit in a circle together and talk about finances or other subjects. They don't just farm."
She said it's regrettable, because "people need supportive employment more than ever right now."
Roots to Harvest still plans to have its own staff work on the urban farms.
CLARIFICATION: This story has been amended to clarify that if community gardens are permitted, the youth job program at Roots to Harvest's urban farms will still remain cancelled.
