‘Innovative’: Montreal’s first vertical solidarity garden in Loyola Park

Months after the Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough officially launched Montreal’s first vertical solidarity garden, entitled ‘the Fielding Vertical Garden’ — residents have flocked to the area and begun broadening their greater understanding of urban agriculture.

A first for Montreal, the garden marks a milestone in the city’s urban agriculture development initiatives. Covering 770 square meters, this project is part of a larger push to make food production more accessible and sustainable in urban environments.

“[It] was put in place really to support the community in having fresh food, fresh veggies, fresh fruits, and to also teach citizens how to garden in an urban setting,” says Despina Sourias, City Councilor for the Loyola District.

Funded through the City of Montreal’s 2024 “Programme de soutien aux arrondissements pour l’aménagement et la réfection des jardins communautaires et collectifs publics” (PDI-JCCM) and backed by a $190,000 investment from the Bureau de la transition écologique (BTER), the project represents a fusion of participatory science, community involvement, and food security.

“When you start showing them how it’s grown, they want to do it themselves, so I think that appropriation of how to do something it creates autonomy, it creates a sense of pride,” Sourias added.

The project involves 20 citizen gardeners for planting, maintaining, and growing plants, collecting data on plant growth, and evaluating the effectiveness of vertical production technologies. These are overseen by AU/LAB, a non-profit organization that supports various urban agriculture initiatives. The vertical garden includes 500 plants grown in low-tech vertical structures and nearly 330 more planted in surrounding beds.

Garden built on community & sustainability

“They learn what are the right techniques for the growth of certain vegetables, certain fruits, or herbs, what works, what doesn’t. They’re mainly native plants. There are some that are not, because we do have communities that come from other countries as well.”

These are filled with edible and pollinator-friendly shrubs, trees, and perennials.

“The Fielding Vertical collective garden represents a first in Montreal and illustrates our administration’s commitment to providing spaces accessible, sustainable, and innovative urban agriculture solutions,” said Gracia Kasoki Katahwa, Mayor of the Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough.

“This project will strengthen the food self-sufficiency of our communities while enriching biodiversity in urban areas,” she added. “This community garden is not only a place of culture, but also a space for the population to meet and share, where nature and community come together to green our city together.”

Addressing food insecurity with innovation

The garden directly responds to growing food insecurity in the borough, making optimal use of space while offering environmental and social benefits. From eggplants, ginger, to turmeric, 50 per cent of the produce grown goes to the food initiatives in the area.

“The vertical garden was put in place really to support the community in having fresh food, fresh veggies, fresh fruits, and to also teach citizens how to garden in an urban setting,” said Sourais.

With 24 per cent of the borough’s population living in low-income situations and their food banks overwhelmed by a 60 per cent surge in demand, the Fielding Vertical Garden aims to create a more resilient, community-driven food system.

“Not long ago, our neighborhood benefited from this community garden. We needed it because there isn’t one in the area very close to our house. So I think it’s a great initiative on the part of the city to allow the neighborhood’s residents to benefit from this garden. My children and I have already benefited from the harvests,” said Leila, a Montrealer.

Karen, another Montrealer added, “I think it’s a good idea for people to get together and have a community garden like that, because it enhances everything for them. They can grow fresh tomatoes and whatever else they want to do. And it’s not like going out to buy it in a supermarket.”

Sourias says that “This garden is first and foremost a victory for our local community.”

Adding, “It surpassed my expectations. I was very excited about it, but I didn’t realize how important it was. Like, I knew it was important, but I didn’t realize the impact and the interest people would have in it.”

Sourias sees the potential for future opportunities in Montreal and potential expansions, as many other City councilors voiced their interest..

“I think kids are… They’re more and more aware of things. They have access to information, but also knowing this… I think that it’s passed on from one generation to the next,” she said.

Accessible & inclusive design

With raised, above-ground beds, the garden is accessible to people with reduced mobility. Its vertical structure also optimizes space and supports better water use and diverse plant growth.

“These vertical growing spaces can accommodate a wide variety of nutritious plants, both climbing and non-climbing, vegetables, herbs, and berries,” the borough said.

“It kind of connects you to whatever happened before us,” Sourias said on utilizing generational agricultural knowledge.

“It’s not just like we’re today. Like, we’re today, but we’re also the past and we’re also the future.”