PollinateTO provides funding for pollinator gardens located in Toronto. This year, priority will be given to projects located in Toronto’s 31 Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIAs). Gardens will be planted in 2021.
Through its PollinateTO grants program, the City funds pollinator habitat creation projects that educate and engage the community.
Up to $5,000 per project is available.
Are you interested in gardening and protecting pollinators? Would you like to:
If you answered yes to any of the above, please apply to PollinateTO for funding to support your idea!
PollinateTO advances the principles and priorities of the City’s Pollinator Protection Strategy.
Watch how Green Thumbs Growing Kids created pollinator gardens at schools in Toronto!
Toronto is home to a wide range of pollinators, including 364 species of bees and 112 species of butterflies. These insects provide important ecosystem services such as pollination, are an important source of food for birds, and contribute to the biodiversity in our city. Pollination is what allows plants to produce seeds, fruits, and new plants. This is essential for food production and creating our natural landscapes.
Pollinators are under increasing stress due to habitat loss, invasive species, diseases, pesticides and climate change. Studies have shown that some species are in drastic decline, including the endangered Monarch butterfly and several species of bumblebees.
The easiest and most effective way to help native pollinators is to plant native plants. By planting native plants, you will be providing much-needed habitat that native pollinators need to survive. Native plants provide pollen and nectar for food, as well as places to nest and overwinter. Pollinator habitat can be created almost anywhere – in parks, yards, apartment buildings, schools, faith centres, community gardens and more.
Pollinator habitat includes the following:
Ideal pollinator habitat features native plants that are locally-grown and pesticide-free.
Plants that existed in our ecoregion prior to European colonization are considered native. Toronto is located where the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Forest Region and the Carolinian Zone meet. Native pollinators have coevolved with native plants for over 100 million years and depend on each other for survival.
All neighbourhoods in Toronto are eligible. Priority will be given to pollinator garden projects and groups located in Toronto’s Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIAs) listed below.
Not sure which neighbourhood your project is in? Find your neighbourhood by searching by address or place name.
PollinateTO is open to all resident-led groups and non-profit groups. All groups must have at least three residents who make up the group.
Important Note: You must partner with a sponsoring organization to act as a trustee. There is more information below about selecting a trustee.
PollinateTO supports projects that create pollinator gardens in Toronto. Priority will be given to gardens located in Toronto’s Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIAs). Projects must also educate and engage the community.
Examples of eligible projects include:
Examples of projects the City will NOT fund include:
If you are unsure if your idea is eligible, please contact the PollinateTO Program Manager at pollinateTO@toronto.ca
Projects must:
You can use the Plant List Chart template to help you organize your plant choices.
Gardens must include at least one species of goldenrod and at least one species of milkweed.
Goldenrod (Solidago)
Goldenrod blooms in the late summer and early fall. Their deep golden colour stands out in the fall when many summer blooms have faded out. You may have heard that goldenrod is responsible for allergies, but this is an old misconception. The plant responsible for allergies is ragweed, which flowers at the same time.
Recognized as a keystone species (which means other species in an ecosystem largely depend on it), goldenrod serves as both host and food source to a wide array of insects, moths and caterpillars. Monarch butterflies, bees, caterpillars and birds will benefit from all that goldenrod has to offer.
There are over 100 species of goldenrod. Here are a few goldenrod species to consider for your garden that are easy to grow, drought tolerant and easy to find:
| Sun: | Shade: |
| Stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida) | Zig-zag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis) |
| Showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) | |
| Grey-stemmed (Solidago nemoralis) | Blue-stemmed goldenrod (Solidago caesia) |
| Early goldenrod (Solidago juncea) |
Learn more and see photos of these goldenrod species.
Milkweed (Asclepias)
Milkweed is the larval host plant for the endangered Monarch butterfly. Monarchs will only lay their eggs on milkweed leaves, which is the sole food source for caterpillars. Without milkweed, there would be no Monarchs.
There was a time in Ontario that milkweed was on the noxious weed list, which meant it could not be planted. In 2014, milkweed was removed from Ontario’s noxious weed list and since then many gardeners have embraced milkweed in their garden.
There are 14 species of milkweed in Canada. Here are a few suggestions for milkweed species to consider for your garden and one non-native milkweed species to avoid.
| Plant in dry areas: | Plant in wet areas: | Do not plant: |
| Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) | Swamp milkweed
(Asclepias incarnate) |
Tropical milkweed
(Asclepias curassavica) This is not native to Canada, but is often sold in garden centres. |
| Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) | ||
| Purple milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens) | ||
| Whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata) |
Applications will be accepted from November 16 to January 8, 2021.
The following documents are required to evaluate your project:
To submit these documents, or any others, please upload them with your application form or email them to pollinateTO@toronto.ca
| Applications open | November 16, 2020 |
| Application deadline | January 8, 2021 |
| Application review | January/February 2021 |
| Applicants notified | March 2021 |
| Online orientation session | March 2021 |
| Successful applicants receive partial funding (90%) | April 2021 |
| Gardens planted | Spring/Summer 2021 |
| Completion and evaluation | March 2022 (or sooner) |
| Completed projects receive remaining funding (10%) | Within 60 days of proof of completion and final report received |
Please note: Timelines are subject to change
Please review the steps below before applying online.
Create your own group or join one that is already established in your community. Partner with others who can support your idea.
To be eligible, groups must include at least three Toronto residents.
Decide on a name for your Group. Select a Group Lead to be the main contact.
Make a list of potential garden locations in your neighbourhood. Choose garden sites that are open/visible to the public, have access to water and are easy for your group to get to (walking distance is ideal).
Engage with the property owner of the land – share your idea and seek their approval.
If your project location is a City park, please ensure you have the support of the Park Supervisor before applying. Call 311 to connect.
If your project involves a school, you must have support from the principal.
Use the Property Owner Permission template (Word doc) provided.
Decide on a name for your Project (this is different from your Group name).
Create a community engagement and education plan – think about the best ways to involve the community in your project. See the Community Engagement and Education Ideas section for ideas.
Put together an estimated budget of $1,000 to $5,000. See the Eligible Project Costs section for guidance. Please use the budget template (Excel doc) provided.
You must partner with a sponsoring organization to act as a trustee. The trustee will administer your group’s grant funds. See the Selecting a Trustee section for more details.
You must apply using the online application form before the deadline. The Group Lead, Trustee or Partner Organization can complete the application form.
The following documents are required to evaluate your proposal:
The PollinateTO Team will review your application to ensure eligibility requirements are met. Applications must be complete and received by the deadline to be eligible.
A Review Committee will evaluate all eligible proposals. Priority will be given to project located Toronto’s 31 Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIAs).
Successful applicants will receive an approval letter via email and details about next steps.
Successful applicants will attend an online information session to learn more about the next steps.
In order to release the grant funding award, your Trustee must enter into a funding agreement with the City of Toronto. The funding agreement outlines roles, payments, reporting requirements and other conditions of the grant.
Most (approximately 90 per cent) of the funding will be provided in advance to get you started. The remaining (approximately 10 per cent) will be provided upon proof of completion.
Your group has one year from the time the funding is issued to complete your project.
As your project progresses, please notify the PollinateTO Program Manager about any events or milestones (such as groundbreaking, workshops, planting events, art installations, garden tours, etc.) so that we can help support and promote your project. We may also like to participate!
Grant recipients must acknowledge the financial assistance provided by the City of Toronto in program materials, communications and signage, including any promotional materials used in project activities.
Please notify the PollinateTO Program Manager when your project is complete. A site visit may be requested.
Your group will be responsible for submitting the following:
How will your project educate and engage the community? Some ideas you might consider:
Funding can only be used for the direct delivery of the proposed project.
A budget template is available to help you plan your project.
Examples of fundable budget line items:
Examples of budget line items that are not fundable:
Groups that do not have official not-for-profit status must work with a trustee organization to receive funding.
The trustee organization should have knowledge about the issues your project addresses or experience in the community your group works with. It could be an organization that your group is currently working with or has worked with in the past.
A trustee is an incorporated not-for-profit organization with audited financial statements and the financial systems in place to administer your group’s grant funds.
A trustee will distribute the funding according to the approved project budget. Trustees can also provide additional support to funded groups, such as project management and mentorship.
Trustee organizations must meet all of the following eligibility criteria and be approved by City staff to act as your trustee:
The trustee organization:
Trustee organizations may charge fees for their services. The fee arrangement should be included in the Trustee Agreement.
The PollinateTO program allocates funding for trustee fees of up to 10% of the grant. If you will be working with a trustee, please account for the trustee fee in your proposed budget.
A Trustee Agreement is a formal agreement between your group and your Trustee organization. City of Toronto staff must approve the Trustee Agreement before funds will be paid. Your group and the trustee organization will need to write your own agreement together.
A Review Committee will review applications and recommend funding using the following process:
Your group should consider the following best practices when designing pollinator habitat.
Please note: These are best practices only – not mandatory project requirements. See the Project Requirements section for what elements are mandatory.
Use this checklist to help you create or enhance pollinator-friendly habitat in your community.
Plant native: Choose native plants, trees and shrubs rich in pollen and nectar. Locally grown and pesticide free are best.
Plant host plants: Butterflies lay their eggs on specific plants. Monarch butterflies, for example, will only lay their eggs on milkweed, the sole food source for their larva.
Provide continuous bloom: Pollinators need a continuous source of food from spring to fall. Select a variety of plants with a range of bloom times.
Mass plantings: Planting multiples of the same plant together in large groupings makes it easier for pollinators to find and collect pollen and nectar.
Plant single bloom varieties: The petals of double or triple bloom varieties can block access to pollen and nectar.
Avoid nativars (native cultivars): These are named varieties and not the true native species. Studies have shown that many nativars are less beneficial (e.g. contain less pollen) than the true native species.
Bare ground: Many native bees build nests in soil, so leave some bare patches and limit your use of mulch.
Choose plants with hollow or pithy stems: Some cavity nesting bees use hollow or pithy stems to lay their eggs.
Hollow-stemmed plants:
Pithy-stemmed plants:
Offer a drink: Pollinators need water. Add rocks for perch points to a birdbath or shallow dish of water to help bees and butterflies quench their thirst.
Create sunny spots: Butterflies like to bask in the sun.
Avoid pesticides: Don’t spray pesticides or insecticides, especially neonicotinoids. Ontario has a Pesticide Ban that prohibits the cosmetic use of pesticides.
Leave dead stems: Bundles of sticks and stems that are put out for yard waste collection too early in spring will often contain overwintering bees.
Dead wood: Large branches and decaying logs can be kept in a sunny spot to provide additional shelter, resting sites for birds and nesting locations for bees and other wildlife.
Leaves: Leave the leaves where they fall or rake them into your garden to provide overwintering habitat for butterflies. Leaves can be removed in late spring, after overwintering adult butterflies are gone, or left in the garden to decompose.
Avoid tilling: Keep large patches of land unmown and untilled to provide secure and undisturbed nesting sites for ground-nesting bees.
Prevent the spread of invasive plants: Monitor your garden for invasive plants and remove them when detected. For example, the invasive dog-strangling vine has a negative impact on Monarchs – female butterflies mistakenly lay their eggs on it since it’s in the milkweed family, instead of native milkweeds, causing their larvae to starve.
Plant material is replaced: Monitor garden regularly for dead plants and replace accordingly in order to ensure healthy plant diversity.
Tell your friends and neighbours: Help spread the word about what pollinators need by sharing your experience with others. Let them know how they can create or enhance pollinator habitat on their property.
Offer tours of your garden: Inspire others to create pollinator gardens by showcasing yours. Identify plants and offer tips for success.
Install signage provided: Identify your garden as pollinator-friendly. Create your own sign or use the PollinateTO sign.
Educational messaging should align with the guiding principles and priorities of the City’s Pollinator Protection Strategy. The following are best practices for designing a pollinator educational initiative funded by the PollinateTO Program.
PollinateTO templates:
Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA):
David Suzuki Foundation:
Canadian Wildlife Federation:
Carolinian Canada:
North American Native Plant Society:
Rain gardens:
Where to find native plants:
In 2019, thirty-five applications were selected to receive funding from among 151 applications submitted. Approved projects include community faith gardens, Indigenous education gardens, residential rain gardens, schoolyard teaching gardens, and multiple front-yard gardens on residential streets (which serve as pollinator pathways).
In total, more than 9,500 square metres of pollinator habitat will be created through the grants. The projects will also engage and educate the community through a variety of measures including signage, workshops, tours, videos, seed exchanges, community planting days, indigenous knowledge sharing, senior and youth programming, newcomer education, interpretive art and citizen science.
Congratulations to the groups listed below!
| Group: Appleton Ave. Community Organization | Project: Appleton Ave. Pollinator Corridor |
| This project will create a pollinator corridor consisting of 15 pollinator patches along Appleton Ave. The project will result in a complex urban ecosystem and engage the community through planting days, speakers, children’s activities, and a community potluck. | |
| Group: Argonaut Rowing Club | Project: Argonaut Growing Club Pollinator Project |
| The Argonaut Rowing Club is proposing a pollinator garden near the Martin Goodman trail. The project will create plant identifiers and signage that is easily visible from the Martin Goodman trail. The project is supported by a dedicated gardener and team of volunteers. | |
| Group: Bain Butterfly Way | Project: The Bain Butterfly Way Project |
| The Bain Butterfly Way project will create five pollinator gardens at the Bain Cooperative. The goals are to map and create a pollinator pathway that would connect our native plant species throughout the Bain, while also building a sense of stewardship for the land and an appreciation for native plant species. The community engagement and education plans include a community planting day, guided plant tours, and a partnership with a local school to co-create a pollinator-themed art project. | |
| Group: Bell Manor Pollinators | Project: Bell Manor Park Community Pollinator Garden |
| This project will create a pollinator community garden in Bell Manor Park. The community garden, which is part of the Community Health Centre’s Food Access Program, addresses the lack of space for growing in lower-income neighbourhoods and provides an alternative food source and access to community activities and connections among many cultural diverse circles. A component of the project will be to have AlterEden deliver four workshops to educate the community about the needs of pollinators. | |
| Group: Bernard Betel Centre | Project: Bernard Betel Centre Community Pollinator Garden |
| This garden will be created on a non-profit community centre property that has been serving the community for 54 years. The Bernard Betel Centre currently holds 120 programs a week and the pollinator garden will be incorporated into their programming, allowing residents in the community to enjoy and learn more about pollinators. | |
| Group: Carlton-Sherbourne Garden Group | Project: Rooming House Beeuties |
| The Carlton-Sherbourne Group is partnering with Dixon Hall to create multiple pollinator gardens in the front yards of Toronto Community Housing properties in the Cabbagetown area. This project aims to increase the vibrancy and resilience of the community through this beautification process. The goal is to build upon and nurture the pollinator patches and expand the project to all 23 Toronto Community Housing properties in the area. | |
| Group: Centre for Immigrant and Community Services (CICS) | Project: The ENRICH Pollinator Garden |
| CICS is a multi-service registered charity and a leader in serving immigrants in Toronto and the GTA for 50 years, helping newcomers develop a sense of inclusion and belonging in their new communities. CICS would like to introduce a pollinator garden to enhance their educational programming and their work towards building community connectedness and leadership skills around urban gardening. | |
| Group: Chester School Pollinator Garden Team | Project: Chester School Pollinator Garden |
| This proposal from the Chester Eco Community will create a pollinator learning garden at Chester Elementary School, a Platinum EcoSchool. The school will create and maintain a year-round pollinator garden and promote the awareness and education of the role of pollinators and native species in our ecosystem, and provide enjoyment for students and the wider community. | |
| Group: Church of the Resurrection | Project: Resurrection Garden |
| The Church of the Resurrection will fill seven beds with native plants and shrubs to create habitat for bees, butterflies, and birds. The garden spaces will contain signage to educate the community about the need to support these creatures. | |
| Group: CSPC – Transfiguration | Project: Transfiguration Pollinator Garden |
| The parent council at Transfiguration of our Lord Catholic School will lead the creation of a pollinator teaching garden at the school. The goal is to provide pollinators with an additional resource in our neighbourhood by creating a pollinator garden and to educate the community. | |
| Group: Danforth Gardens Neighbourhood Association | Project: Danforth Gardens Neighbourhood Pollinator Corridor |
| This neighbourhood association is proposing a pollinator pathway that will create pollinator gardens at Danforth Gardens Public School, and transform several residential properties from lawns to pollinator habitat. The project will engage the community through garden tours and native plant sales to inspire others to transform their green spaces. | |
| Group: David Hornell Junior School & Mimico Residents Association | Project: David Hornell Pollinator Gardens |
| This proposal from David Hornell Elementary School and Mimico Residents Association will create three pollinator garden areas within David Hornell’s established eco school grounds. This initiative will help to revitalize David Hornell’s outdoor classroom and provide students with important eco-learning opportunities. This project will also provide significant benefit to the surrounding Mimico and neighbouring communities. | |
| Group: Evergreen | Project: Pollinator Revitalization Project |
| Evergreen Brick Works is located in the Don Valley ravine system and is a vital access point to nature for Torontonians. Evergreen works to promote and preserve native species and will transform the Tiffany Commons space into pollinator gardens. Evergreen welcomes nearly half a million visitors a year and with their contact through these gardens, visitors will be able to learn more about pollinator habitats. | |
| Group: FJR Pollinator Group | Project: FJR Pollinator Project |
| Father John Redmond (FJR) Secondary School will create a pollinator garden that will provide benefits to the school, the Ken Cox Community Centre and the greater Lakeshore community. It would include the collaborative efforts of the biology department, Eco-club, and the parent council to build and maintain the garden. Wider school community including the Summer School courses and Ken Cox Community programs will also share in the regular care of the garden during summer months. The vision is that the pollinator garden would serve to invite the enjoyment of the school community and beyond, and at the same time, provide a necessary habitat for pollinators. | |
| Group: Garrison Creek Park Community Garden (GCPCG) | Project: Garrison Creek Park Pollinator Gardens |
| This group plans to build a community pollinator garden in Garrison Creek Park. The garden will engage over 50 families in the area already involved in urban gardening, serving as an educational tool for the public with signage, plant labels and tours. This pollinator garden will complement the existing pollinator murals located in the area as well as the Green Line project connecting green spaces in the city. | |
| Group: George Chuvalo Community Center | Project: GCCC Gardens |
| The pollinator garden will be one of the first community projects for this new community centre. The goal is to establish sustainability as one of the community’s priorities through the collaborative experience of growing a pollinator garden. The key elements of the project will be a garden design inspired by the rainbow flag, and educational workshops on pollinators, seed saving and seed starting. | |
| Group: Green Thumbs Growing Kids | Project: Flower Power |
| Green Thumbs Growing Kids is a community group that have been growing plants with children, youth and families for 20 years. They are partnered with four schools in the Toronto District School Board to create and maintain pollinator gardens, used for experiential learning connected to curriculum objectives in the school year.
Watch video See how Green Thumbs Growing Kids created pollinator gardens at schools in Toronto! |
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| Group: Greenland & Community Butterflyway Pollinator Garden | Project: Pollinator Waystation |
| Greenland Public School is a platinum level Eco school with a long tradition of creating learning spaces, beautifying school grounds and educating children and the community of the importance of eco initiatives. The pollinator garden will be used as a teaching tool, Monarch waystation and tour site for the larger community. | |
| Group: Harbord Collegiate Institute & Palmerston Area Residents Association | Project: Harbord Collegiate PARA Pollinator Garden |
| This proposal is a school-community collaboration between the Harbord Collegiate Eco team and the Palmerston Area Residents Association (PARA) Green Committee. The goal of this project is the creation of two permanent pollinator gardens within the south-facing front yard of Harbord Collegiate and along Harbord Street. As part of meeting this goal, the garden will educate and engage students, staff and community on the importance of pollinators, native plants, biodiversity and organic gardening. | |
| Group: Hopewell Community Garden | Project: Hopewell Pollinator Garden |
| This group plans to introduce a community pollinator garden to an underused area in Walter Saunders Memorial Park. The garden expands the capacity of Hopewell Community Garden, allowing for increased participation and alternative horticultural learning opportunities for participants. The goal is to become a local resource for the public, schools and community groups wanting to learn more about horticulture, pollinators and the importance they play in our urban ecosystem. | |
| Group: Kapapamahchakwew Parent Council, (Wandering Spirit School Parent Council) | Project: Gitigaan |
| Wandering Spirit School Parent Council is a group of dedicated volunteers and staff who have strong ties to the Indigenous community in Toronto. The project will create a garden that will provide opportunities for the school community to share cultural knowledge about pollinators and Indigenous plants with the surrounding community. The goal is to inspire others to plant native plants, create their own pollinator garden, and share information. | |
| Group: King George Junior Public School Parent Council | Project: King George Pollinator Garden |
| The King George Garden Committee is proposing a pollinator teaching garden at King George Junior Public School. The garden will space for students to engage in active learning about biodiversity, ecology, and stewardship. The garden will also be presented as a demonstration garden that encourages residents in the area to consider how their plant choices and gardening practices affect native pollinator species. | |
| Group: Naadmaagit Ki (NKG) “Helpers of the Earth” | Project: Aamoog, Memengwaag miinwaa Nenookaasiwag (Bees, Butterflies & Hummingbirds) |
| St. Anne’s Church invited NKG to care for the land adjacent to the church in 2013. With the help of committed volunteers, the space will be transformed into a shared community pollinator garden. NKG intends to offer culturally-rooted, indigenous educational opportunities for the community. | |
| Group: Neighbours4Nectar | Project: Neighbours4Nectar |
| Six households at the intersection of Westlake and Westbrook Avenues will form the Neighbours4Nectar project, planting demonstration pollinator gardens in front yards to create a pollinator pathway, and engaging local residents in learning why pollinator gardens are important and how to establish them successfully. Open planting days, garden tours and pollinator-themed kids’ activities will involve a wide range of neighbours in the project. | |
| Group: Rain Gardens United (RGU) | Project: Greenwood Pollinator Rain Gardens |
| The first phase of the Greenwood Pollinator Gardens includes three rain gardens on Alton Avenue and Sawden Avenue near Greenwood Park. The three rain gardens will capture and infiltrate at least 90% of annual rainfall from the roof downspouts. This will benefit the overall stormwater system in the neighbourhood, which is known to cause nuisance issues throughout Greenwood Park. As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of rainfall events, green infrastructure such as these rain gardens will help make the storm sewer system more resilient by retaining rainfall close to where raindrops hit the ground. | |
| Group: Ravina Community Garden | Project: Ravina Community Garden Pollinator Project |
| The Ravina Community Garden will transform an existing lawn bowling club space and create an experience for community members to directly engage with the plant and wildlife growing in the garden. The project proposes the creation of a stone wall for cavity nesting native pollinators. There will be educational opportunities for members of this intergenerational community garden to learn through hands-on experience of creating the garden. | |
| Group: Regenesis | Pollinate UTSC (University of Toronto Scarborough Campus) |
| The University of Toronto Scarborough Campus (UTSC) aims to create a pollinator-friendly campus. The project proposes the creation of four new pollinator gardens AND the enhancement of an existing butterfly garden. The project will use signage to raise awareness about native bees and outline the best practices to create a pollinator-friendly garden. Through the process of creating the gardens, students and staff will engage in awareness building activities (e.g. planting session, seed saving session, seed and plant sharing). | |
| Group: Rouge Valley Foundation | Project: Bombus Native Garden Project |
| The Rouge Valley Foundation will be planting native flower species specifically selected for the native Bumblebees that are in dramatic decline, specifically American Bumble Bee and the Yellow Banded Bumble Bee. There will be four unused areas of the existing native garden area that will be planted with species designed to flower throughout the spring, summer and fall season. Each area will also be paired with a series of bumble bee nesting boxes that will be installed within the garden plots and monitored throughout the year to determine presence, abundance and species usage. | |
| Group: Scarborough Arts | Project: Pollinator Art – Planting and Botanical Illustration Program |
| Scarborough Arts is a non-profit organization with over 40 years of service and is the only arts organization of its kind specifically serving residents from low-income, and newcomer populations in Scarborough. This project will engage participants (youth, adults) in arts and environmental education activities centred on pollinator-friendly plants, with the ultimate goal of planting a collaborative community pollinator garden at the Scarborough Arts’ home office. | |
| Group: Scarborough Bluffs Community Association | Project: Bluffs Pollinator Garden |
| The Scarborough Bluffs Community Association is proposing a community pollinator garden in Sandown Park. The goal is to encourage children to visit the park with their families and learn about pollinators. The final result can be used as an educational tool for future school projects on pollinators, native plants and environmental issues. | |
| Group: St. Wilfrid Catholic School | Project: ECO Rangers School Grounds Greening Project |
| The ECO Rangers at St. Wilfrid Catholic School have kept the students, staff and community involved in issues that are related to saving our Earth. Students and staff will work together to create a pollinator teaching garden. These gardens will enhance student learning by providing a natural, pleasing, relaxing setting and sparking discussions about the new additional plants and animals that they attract. | |
| Group: Sunshine Centres for Seniors | Project: Sunshine Pollinator Gardens: Seniors and Youth Bee-utify Our Community |
| Sunshine Centres for Seniors was first established in 1970 with its flagship program, Camp Sunshine on Ward’s Island. The organization now comprises eight centres offering innovative and empowering programs for seniors and youth throughout Toronto. This project will create three pollinator gardens at the Parsonage building on Ward’s Island, providing opportunities for all who visit to learn about the importance of pollinators. The community will also be significantly involved in planting and maintaining the gardens. | |
| Group: The Toronto Heschel School | Project: Project Nectar |
| Project Nectar will be an educational pollinator garden at the Toronto Heschel School. The goal is to give students, teachers, and community members an opportunity to learn about the important role that pollinators play in supporting local and global ecosystems as well as to contribute to Toronto’s ongoing effort to expand pollinator habitats. As a Jewish school, it is incumbent to care for the Earth as part of the concept of ‘Tikkun Olam’ or repairing the world. Project Nectar will be open to all community members and we will actively engage our neighbours in its construction and care. Project Nectar will be a hands-on way for students to explore how they fit into the complex ecological processes of nature. | |
| Group: Toronto Chinese Mennonite Church | Project: Toronto Chinese Mennonite Church Community Garden |
| This project proposes the creation of a community pollinator garden at the Toronto Chinese Mennonite Church at Woodbine and Danforth. Many residents engage with the space including three congregations within the church (English, Mandarin, Cantonese), “Kei Lok Yuen” senior’s group, children’s Sunday school, and daycare. This pollinator garden will beautify the site, engage the various groups using the site, and raise community awareness about the needs of pollinators. | |
| Group: Windermere United Church | Project: Windermere United Church and Friends’ Pollinator Project |
| The project will create a pollinator garden at Windermere United Church. The project will engage children from the church school, community cooking class, the on-site daycare (Windermere Kids) and the Swansea School of Dance, as well as many other groups that use the church building during the week. | |