Growing Schools Program

TOPSOIL supports the development and maintenance of gardens and micro-farms in consultation with LifeCycles and individual school communities.

These school gardens promote social and emotional wellbeing in students and teachers, and can be a source of high quality, nutrient-dense food for the school community.

In partnership with LIFECYCLES, we’re working to grow more nutritious food on school grounds. By locating productive urban farms and gardens on site at schools, we increase access to healthy food, create therapeutic learning environments, and provide training and hands-on experience for the next generation of food systems leaders.

Food from these micro-farms is used in school meal programs, with opportunities for students to participate in experiential learning as they work to harvest and grow nutritious food for their school community.

Seed the City Youth Program

TOPSOIL also supports the SEED THE CITY program where high school students can gain work experience in gardening and farming, earn credits towards graduation, and become part of the local food movement in their city.

During this 8-week summer program, students build community and transferable skills through growing and selling food that is produced on school grounds and participating in field trips and workshops at local farms. Through this program, students in the Greater Victoria School District are eligible to receive high school course credits.

“I learned so much from this program. From how to sow seeds, to how to harvest and preserve produce. I was able to make meaningful connections with my peers through our shared passion for what we were learning.”

– Grade 12 ‘Seed the City’ student participant

“It’s important to ensure we grow traditional plants and use them to expand our knowledge and create an educational tool to pass on to the next generation”
– Chris McElroy, Songhees Nation Community Recreation Coordinator

Rooftop Food Garden

SONGHEES WELLNESS CENTRE believes in creating a connection between the natural food from the land, the farmers that nourish and harvest it, and ultimately, the people who enjoy it. This is based on the traditions of Lekwungen People and their connection to the land. They demonstrate this by utilizing local seasonal goods and harvesting vegetables and herbs from their rooftop garden.

TOPSOIL implemented and developed the rooftop farm at the Songhees Wellness Centre and help maintain the farm on a weekly basis during the spring and summer. 2021 will be our 4th year partnering with the Songhees Nation.

The herbs and vegetables harvested from the rooftop are given away to the community every Wednesday through their salad bar program and local distribution networks.

The produce is also used by the Songhees Food Truck, and in various events and catering programs.

My FED Farms

As an emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic TOPSOIL partnered with THE FOOD ECO DISTRICT (FED) to provide 514 free start-up food garden growing kits to local households disproportionately affected by the pandemic through the My FED Farms initiative.

While the supply chain of food to the island has not been impacted by COVID-19, the mass layoffs and increasing food insecurity continues to present tough challenges.

On average, 53% of people in Canada currently live paycheck to paycheck, and especially in Victoria where rents are high many community members are struggling to afford ongoing access to fresh, healthy foods.

TOPSOIL is continuing our partnership with FED to support people during the pandemic by providing free start-up food garden kits, and we’ll be providing another 500 homes with their own food gardens in 2021.

Street to Sky Program

TOPSOIL also collaborated with FED on the STREET TO SKY PROGRAM, which helps developers, landowners, strata corporations and urban food growers connect and explore the best practices and common risks often associated with urban food lands.

We conducted in-depth interviews with developers, landowners, strata corporations and urban food growers and are currently developing a series of guides to provide people in different industries a deeper understanding and knowledge on these topics.