The Rules and Agreements ensure that the community gardens are maintained as vibrant, shared green spaces within the City of Richmond. Urban Bounty and garden plot users are required to agree to and honor these Rules and Agreements in exchange for the privilege of gardening on public land. Please review the Rules and Agreements if you are a new or current plot user.
Plot Payment
If you are a new gardener looking to pay for your plot fees or a returning gardener looking to renew your plot fees then you have come to the right place.
A couple things to note before your pay your plot fee:
- Payment deadline for all gardeners is January 31st, unless otherwise stated by an Urban Bounty staff member.
- Plot users are responsible for renewing their plot rental each year in January unless they have given written notice of vacating the plot to Urban Bounty staff.
- Only plot users who have passed the reviews are allowed to renew (not applicable for new gardeners).
- You must read and agree to the Rules and Agreements above before paying for your plot.
- We do not provide refunds for plot fees, so please ensure that this program is right for you before making your plot payment.
Plot Fees
New community garden sites will include a materials fee (varies depending on cost of lumber) because all plots have to be built onsite with the help of the plot user. Each site is unique and fees are not a direct reflection of plot size. Fees cover administration, insurance, tools.
There are no refunds for plot fees as space has been reserved for the plot user in the program and if no notice of vacancy is provided at the end of the previous year.
Starting January 2025 plot users will be required to pay a refundable $30 vacancy deposit during the sign-up or renewal period, in addition to the annual plot fee. In order to obtain a refund of the $30 vacancy deposit, plot users must ensure that the state of their plots complies with Rules and Agreements maintenance requirements (see Section 5, Rules and Agreements).
To ensure the long-term sustainability of the Community Garden Program, plot fees will increase by 10% for all sites every 3 years.
| Plot Size | |||
| Year | Small | Medium | Large |
| 2017 | 30 | 55 | 80 |
| 2020 | 40 | 65 | 90 |
| 2023 | 40 | 65 | 90 |
| 2026 | 44 | 72 | 99 |
| 2029 | 48 | 79 | 109 |
Small
Less than 60 ft2
$40/year
Medium
61 ft2 to 120 ft2
$65/year
Large
Greater than 121 ft2
$90/year
GARDEN CITY PLOT FEES
Small
2 boxes
$50/year
Medium
3 boxes
$60/year
Large
4 boxes
$70/year
PLOT TRANSFERS
Current plot users can request to transfer to a different plot or garden site. We will try to accommodate requests when a plot becomes vacant at the chosen site during the renewal period. Plot users on the transfer list are prioritized and will be offered an available plot before it is offered to an individual on the community garden waitlist. Your current plot must be vacant and empty within 1 week of transferring to another plot.
Transfer plot offers are only offered once and can only be requested for one site or plot. If plot users would like to transfer again, they have the option for applying for the waitlist.
If you are a current gardener and would like to transfer to a different plot, please fill out this form.
SUBSIDY PROGRAM
The subsidy program is only available to current gardeners seeking to renew plots. The purpose of the program is to lower the financial burden for members to grow healthy and nutritious food. We aim to subsidize 5% of total plots in the program for individuals and community organizations. This means we offer a limited number of subsidies per site. The application is open from January 5th to January 20th. Applicants that are approved for a subsidy will be notified by email before the renewal period ends.
Individuals
Subsidy applications for individuals are approved for 2 years only. Fill out this form requesting an annual subsidized rate of 50%. We trust that plot users will only request a subsidy if they need it.
If applicants would like to apply for a 3rd year in the program it will be reviewed on a case by case basis. The subsidy would be capped at 25%, and will not be renewable. This allows others to benefit from a limited resource. Once approved for a subsidy, applicants will be provided with payment instructions.
Community Organizations
Subsidy applications for Community Organizations are approved for the duration of their programs. Please reach out to info@urbanbounty.ca in order to apply for a 100% subsidy.
Note: Forms can be filled out electronically from the link or we will have printed copies available in our office, please call before your visit to book an appointment.
We also appreciate donations from other gardeners or the public to help cover these costs!
Ready to Pay?
Payment instructions are sent to the registered plot user’s email. Payment is processed through SUMAC, our online payment processing system.
By clicking the button below, I agree that I have read and understood the Community Garden Rules and Agreement and will abide by all of the garden rules. I understand that neither Urban Bounty nor the owners of the land are responsible for my actions. I, therefore, agree to hold harmless Urban Bounty and the owners of the land for any liability, damage, loss or claim that occurs in connection with the use of the garden by me or my guests.
NOTE: There is a Payment Processing Fee of 3$ for all credit card payments to cover payment processing costs.
By clicking ‘Agree to Terms’, you will be taken to our payment platform.
