Let the blooming begin!
CELEBRATING OUR COMMUNITIES IN 2020
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In response to the COVID-19 pandemic
, we will be launching a
2020 Special Edition
of the program.
- Special Achievement Awards
- Virtual Symposium
- Giveaways & Contests
- Complimentary Webinars
Stay tuned for more details next month!
Register your community by July 1, 2020
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We're looking for feedback on how to provide better communication.
Please take a moment to answer the questions in our survey!
All responses are confidential and the feedback is greatly appreciated.
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Protecting parks and green spaces
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Well-cared-for green spaces in urban areas help make cities beautiful, encourage biodiversity and contribute to healthy communities. Whether it’s at your neighbourhood park, the soccer field or your own backyard, pests can wreak havoc if they’re not controlled.
One common weed is the dandelion, which can multiply quickly – if you blow the white seeds, they can spread and start 200 new seed-producing weeds. Another example is ragweed. Both plants are more than just a nuisance, they can trigger unpleasant and sometimes uncontrollable allergies for up to 10 per cent of the population.
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Grubs are lawn pest that can be devastating as well. They feed on the roots of a lawn and cause it to turn brown and die. Animals like skunks and birds then pull back the grass to feed on the grubs, causing further damage.
And we can’t forget about what is happening to trees. The emerald ash borer, a wood-boring beetle, has wiped out millions of trees in Canada.
To keep our parks and green spaces thriving, these pests must be managed. Pesticides are one – and sometimes the only – option for controlling these threats. When pesticides are the tool for the job, they can be used safely.
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Before any pesticide can be sold it must be approved by Health Canada. Our regulatory process is stringent and world renowned. Pesticides come in consumer formulations diluted for use at home as well as commercial-grade products designed for use by people with specialized training, like those at lawn care and landscaping companies.
Controlling these pests using safe and approved solutions like pesticides will ensure we continue to have parks and green spaces to enjoy for years to come.
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Congratulations to the following projects & organizations
that have received a grant this year:
Earthwise Demonstration Community Food Garden,
DRS Earthwise Society, Delta, BC
Benalto Community Garden,
Red Deer County, AB
Kelliher School Community Garden,
Kelliher, SK
Bob Rumball Canadian Centre of Excellence for the Deaf Community Garden, Milton, ON
Aménagement de la cour - École Saint-Joseph,
Drummondville, QC
Forêt et Jardins nourriciers, Société D'Horticulture
et D'Écologie de Roberval
Roberval, QC
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Parks, Trails and COVID 19
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by Paul Ronan
Executive Director, Ontario Parks Association
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Well the year 2020 will be a year we will remember for a very long time. It feels like we went to bed and woke up to a completely different world. This new world we woke up to significantly changed how we managed our daily life. It didn’t just change our lives in Canada but around the whole world. What became clearly evident very early in the pandemic was how people would react to what would be the new normal for months to come.
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Initially you would think that food, communication, and finances would be front and centre, however there was an unexplained infatuation to hoard, of all things, toilet paper.
Yes, toilet paper or lack of, caused what we would consider normal balanced citizens to engage in unprecedented line ups, arguments, price gouging and even unethical reselling at inflated prices...
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Committed to bringing educational materials to the classroom - focusing on soil science & agricultural sustainability.
We miss being in the classrooms and attending events with great educators and students across Canada during this unprecedented time.
We have been busy adapting our resources to make them easy to download and share with your fellow educators, parents, and students. Visit our new
E-Learning section
for 6 science-based lessons, plus
4 lessons based on grade levels
.
The lessons come with links to videos, activity books and games to help educate about the importance of soil, plant nutrients and understanding agricultural sustainability. We will continue to develop new resources and have them available on the
website
as they become available.
We have made most of our posters downloadable to make them easy to use for distant learning.
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FREE
Down-to-Earth Veggie Gardening Guide
Available
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Town of Castor Benefits from Green Jobs Initiative
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Alberta town offers many outdoor spaces including the community’s walking trails, fish pond, and creek.
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This summer, these spaces were maintained and beautified for residents and visitors to enjoy.
Thanks to funding from the CPRA’s Green Jobs Initiative, which is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Summer Work Experience program, the Town of Castor was able to hire university student Shaelyn Hewitt as a Green Initiatives Coordinator.
“My job allows me to beautify green spaces and turn them into something
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people can enjoy,” says Shaelyn, adding that people feel encouraged to go outside and appreciate nature more when everything is well maintained. “Our town has many trails, parks and sitting areas outdoors we take care of for everyone to enjoy.”
As Green Initiatives Coordinator, Shaelyn kept the town looking its best. Among many of her tasks, she watered plants, cut the grass, and trimmed trees...
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Pollination by honey bees is critical for providing us with nutritious food and helping Canadian agriculture thrive. In fact, one in three bites of food we eat is made possible by pollinators like honey bees. But to do this great work, honey bees need access to plenty of nutritious nectar and pollen to keep hives healthy.
Since 2015, Bees Matter has distributed over 250,000 Buzzing Gardens seed kits across Canada, contributing to healthier hives.
You can take an active role in your own garden too! With your support, we can continue to create a thriving environment for honey bees.
Sign up for your free Buzzing Gardens seed kit by visiting BeesMatter.ca!
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Keep sending us images of your community in bloom.
Interact with us on social media.
Be sure to use the hashtag
#cibcef
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All communities will be linked and/or tagged were possible and photo credits will be included where required.
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If you have any questions, please contact:
Sonia Parrino
Program Coordinator
1-514-694-8871
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Communities in Bloom is made possible by the generous support of our
sponsors and partners. We wish to thank them for their contribution
to the quality of life and civic pride in Canadian communities.
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You are receiving this email from the
Communities in Bloom Foundation
, a national non-profit organization with charity status. For comments or questions, please contact us at
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