There are over 30 farm stands in Calgary where you can buy fresh local produce from nearby farmers. Picture sweet tomatoes, bunches of basil, or sun-kissed strawberries. Think about the fun cooking you can do with fresh ingredients—from zesty stir-fries to rainbow salads!

Often, good food goes to waste and ends up in the compost bin. Food waste can happen when we buy too much, cook too much, or don't store food correctly. We can make an impact by creating less waste.

Learn how to avoid good food being thrown away.

Highfield Regenerative Farm is a 15-acre farm in the industrial area of Manchester. It used to be home to the Blackfoot Farmers’ Market until 2013 and then remained empty for years. Now, with help from the Compost Council of Canada, it has become a busy urban farm.

The farm features:

• organic vegetable plots
• beekeeping
• a greenhouse
• community gathering space
• forest trails and
• a compost production centre

Produce is donated to community agencies.

The City knows that having different sources of food is important for a strong food system. The goal is to make it easier for indoor farming companies to establish their operations in Calgary.

Indoor farming means growing fruits, vegetables, plants, or other crops inside buildings to sell. It can include growing, raising, culturing or cultivating practices, and harvesting, storing, sorting, cleaning, and getting food ready to sell.

The City provides regulation and licensing for urban beekeeping. This helps address issues and create solutions for bees, beekeepers and neighbours. This program was introduced in Spring 2022.

The urban livestock licensing program allows Calgarians to keep backyard hens. The program accepted 100 applicants under a pilot project in 2022 and continues to accept new applications.

Learn more about the urban hen program and how to apply.

To ensure Calgarians have a reliable and nutritious food supply, we need a strong food system that can adapt to both local and global challenges. Natural and human-made disasters can directly affect food systems. Climate impacts, rising energy costs, population growth, and other challenges add complexity and can disrupt our food supply. The communities most vulnerable to these disruptions are at the greatest risk.

The City has created a Food Resilience Strategy that identifies the potential hazards and weaknesses in our food system. This strategy aims to make food reliably available, accessible, acceptable, and sustainable through actions in our homes, communities, and at the municipal level.   

An urban agriculture program to support and expand the production of locally grown food.

The City is committed to building a local food system that provides equitable access to healthy food.

• The Growing Spaces Program will provide supports to Calgary‘s gardeners, farmers and organizations.
• The Growing Spaces Program promotes environmental sustainability; and utilizes vacant space productively.

The initiative connects growers to vacant City-owned land. This initiative supports new farm “incubation” opportunities through short-term leases. Through partnership, the program provides land to growers to produce food in ways that consider environmental and social responsibility. Further, it educates Calgarians on opportunities to engage in building a stronger local food system.

Household food production can include a variety of spaces and produce. Grow herbs and small vegetables inside your house. Plant fruit and vegetables in the ground or in raised beds in your yard. Food production at home can include vertical gardens, balcony gardens, rooftop gardens, and greenhouses. You can grow a wealth of fresh food in even the smallest garden plot or containers.

• Healthy, fresh produce for you and your family.
• Reducing the environmental impact of food transport and storage.
• Connection with nature and raising awareness of local food.

• Backyard greenhouse guidelines
• YardSmart - gardening and landscaping
• Design your home and yard to be climate ready
  

Boulevards are generally located between property lines, are City owned and are usually grass.

Boulevards are owned by The City. However, homeowners are responsible for maintenance of the boulevard next to their property. Since most boulevards are grass, it may be possible to plant a garden. In all cases, permission from The City is required.

Community gardens can improve the health and well-being of neighbourhoods in Calgary. The City values these gardens and supports creating new ones on public land and keeping the existing ones. We're happy to support community gardens by working with different organizations.