Urban Agriculture Plan
Spruce Grove has existing and historic roots tied to agriculture and continues to support the local and provincial agricultural industry as the City continues to grow.
As part of our commitment to the agriculture industry, and as a member of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board (EMRB), the City is now working on an Urban Agriculture Plan (UAP) that is part of a 30-year growth plan for the Edmonton Metropolitan Region that aims to boost the regional economy by an estimated $10 billion. The plan will help protect prime agricultural land from premature development, will promote resiliency and reduce food costs, increase food security, stimulate the local economy, and reduce our carbon footprint.
The UAP will identify opportunities to support urban agriculture within the City and also connects the values within the Municipal Development Plan. The UAP will identify future tasks and projects that the City and the community should undertake to support urban agriculture and will provide guidance that reflects community ideals and supports urban agriculture in Spruce Grove.
How can I get involved?
Community input is an important part of the process and will help guide the development of the UAP. Residents and interested parties were provided the opportunity to share their input through an online survey and at in person at local events. The survey ran from August 1 to 31, 2024.
Project Timeline
The UAP project is underway and will be completed in three phases:
Phase 1: Community engagement starts to gather feedback on urban agriculture. Residents and interested parties can share their feedback via an online survey (available from August 1-31, 2024) and in person at various events including: the Spruce Grove Farmer's Markets in August, Alberta Open Farm Days (August 17), and the Agra Fair (August 24 & 25). Engagement with members of the public and community organizations will be ongoing to gather information that will be used to develop the UAP.
Phase 2: Development of a draft UAP. The City will work with Council, community organizations, and the public to review the plan and provide comments on the draft UAP.
Phase 3: Final edits will be made to the draft UAP. It will be presented to Council for approval. Once approved, the UAP will be sent to the EMRB, the project will conclude, and implementation of the plan will begin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Urban agriculture is growing or producing of food within urban environments, on private and public lands. It can include the cultivation, processing, and/or the distribution of agricultural products. Some common examples are backyard hens, backyard bees, market gardening, value-added products, and edible public landscaping.
Urban agriculture is important to help improve local access to safe, quality food, that promotes self-sufficiency and resilience, reduces food costs, stimulates the local economy, supports pollinators, and reduces carbon footprints.
The Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board (EMRB) is a growth management board that includes the 13 municipality members surrounding Edmonton that have come together to understand regional dynamics and find synergies to collaborate on. Spruce Grove is one of these members, and the EMRB has developed a Regional Agricultural Master Plan (RAMP) to safeguard prime agricultural land from premature development over the next 30 years that aims to improve access to locally grown food. The Urban Agriculture Plan is one of the ways members are coming together to protect local agriculture.
An Urban Agriculture Plan (UAP) is a document that identifies the opportunities for urban agricultural pursuits in the community, explains how urban agriculture can benefit the community, and enables the community and the municipality to undertake urban agricultural activities. It also identifies and provides direction for how to remove barriers to urban agriculture that may exist in current documents, policies, procedures, or bylaws.
Spruce Grove residents will have the opportunity to provide input on the UAP through an online survey. The project team will work with business owners, residents, and community organizations, as well as the Spruce Grove and District Agricultural Heritage Society, to offer input into the plan preparation. City Council will have the opportunity to provide input on the proposed UAP and will ultimately approve the plan.
Questions?
For any inquires related the Urban Agriculture Plan, contact Christina Kortmeyer, Senior Long Range Planner or 780-962-7634 ext. 278.