After numerous revisions and incorporating public input, the proposed Boulevard Garden and Maintenance By-law will be presented to Thunder Bay City Council on Monday night.

Council will deliberate the proposed By-law on December 16. The By-law was received as a First Report in September.

The Boulevard Garden and Maintenance By-law will allow home and property owners to use the boulevard area for a variety of plants. This by-law was initially requested by the community, and acted upon by administration.

After receiving feedback from target groups, including horticultural groups, the By-law has been revised. This includes:

  • Raising the maximum height limit of a boulevard garden to 1 metre
  • Allowing the planting of native and naturalized plants in setback areas to a maximum height of 60 cm
  • Permitting garden boxes on boulevards, with some exceptions
  • Eliminating the need for “at own risk” signage when planting edible plants
  • Changing from a registration system to a Garden Acknowledgement Declaration

“This is a great step to help improve and protect biodiversity in Thunder Bay, by allowing more than turfgrass on a boulevard,” said Danielle Thom, Climate Action Specialist with the City.

“We incorporated feedback into this revised by-law, adapting it to include 11 recommendations from stakeholders and three recommendations from Council.”

If approved, the by-law will allow for boulevard gardens to legally be planted in spring 2025.

A public education campaign on how to safely dig in the boulevard, prioritizing native plant species, and limiting the use of pesticides will be launched in the spring.

For more information, visit thunderbay.ca/getinvolved.