Thriving Earth, Thriving People
Greenest City builds healthy, inclusive neighbourhoods centred around place-based climate action. Our work is focused on collective care of the earth (and each other!) and building resilient communities in response to climate change.
We prioritize co-creating solutions with people who are experiencing the impacts of climate change the most. These impacts are being experienced, in our urban high-rise communities, through rising temperatures, increasing costs of food, and lack of green infrastructure such as green space, bike lanes, and in adequate high rises adapted or built for climate change.
We weave food, plant and medicine growing and land stewardship, righting relations with the Indigenous people of this land, collective care of each other, art, and food sovereignty, with climate action. These priorities have been determined by the community. As we experience worsening impacts of climate change – our communities’ strengths and resilience will continue to grow and reshape these priorities.
Upcoming events
Three Sisters Planting & Teachings
Wednesday, June 25 | 4:00–6:30 p.m. | Milky Way & Dunn Indigenous Gardens
Join us for a hands-on planting activity led by Charlene Grandmaison (Parkdale Indigenous resident), Melissa Coiffee (Seeds Library), and Mayan Elder Nana Esperanza Ruiz, with drumming and song by Ambie Kehewin.
This is a celebration of Indigenous food systems, where we’ll explore how Indigenous traditional growing practices can shape the way we grow in Parkdale today.
Please RSVP to attend these events by contacting sandrale@westnh.org or phone 437-522-2070.
Current projects
- Milky Way Hub
- Parkdale Good Food Market
- Growing the Future Kids – a partnership with Roots and Culture Gardening Club
- Growing the Future Youth – Funded by Canada Summer Job, Federal Government
- H.O.P.E. Community Garden
- Parkdale Cooks: Seniors Cooking Program (Not currently operating)
- Eco-Therapy – A partnership with psychiatrist Dr. Nate Charach. Reach out to sandrale@westnh.org for more information.
- Dunn Indigenous Garden Revitalization
Community-Led Projects and Partnerships
We partner with groups and organizations based on the groups self-determination, capacity and needs. The projects could have been started by or with the support of Greenest City (Bonnie Storr, West Lodge, St. Joe’s) or inspirational leadership built up in the community (Indigiqueer Garden, Roots and Culture Gardening Club, My Brother’s Keeper Meal Program, Parkdale Free School).
- Indigiqueer Garden at Dunn Parkette
- Bonnie Storr
- West Lodge
- St. Joe’s Community Garden
- Roots and Culture Gardening Club at Dr. Rita Cox-Kina Minagok Public School
- Parkdale Free School
- My Brother’s Keeper Meal Program
- Landscape Ontario’s Toronto Chapter Bursary Program
Education and Collective Capacity Building
In all of our work together, community members and leaders share knowledge as we work alongside each other. Greenest City also coordinates workshops lead by both our local community members and others across the city with knowledge and skills to share.
Academic Partnerships
Toronto Urban Farmers Training: A research partnership led by Seneca College, with Toronto Urban Growers, Toronto Metropolitan University, and West Neighbourhood House and Greenest City Program.
We also host students from University of Toronto and George Brown to complete research, internships and practicums.
Stewardship and Volunteering: Hands on care of the earth in the gardens, at our events, and projects.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities at Greenest City, contact Sandra at sandrale@westnh.org.
Staying Connected
To stay up to date on events and news, please subscribe to the Greenest City newsletter below. Read past Greenest City newsletters here.