Canada: Ryerson University’s newest rooftop farm
New rooftop farm on the Daphne Cockwell Complex
By Ryerson University
Oct 14, 2020
Ryerson University’s second rooftop farm is the first purpose-built green roof for food production under the City of Toronto’s Green Roof Bylaw.
The University played a major role in developing the City’s bylaw, with Ryerson Architectural Science professor Hitesh Doshi acting as principal investigator of a key study, and eventually becoming chair of Toronto’s Green Roof Technical Advisory Group. Since being enacted, this bylaw has resulted in the permitting of more than 2.6 million square feet of green roofs—about 700 living roofs—and Toronto has been recognized for having installed the most square feet of green roofs in 2016 out of all North American cities, and the second most square feet in 2014 and 2015.
This new rooftop space sits atop the eighth floor of the Daphne Cockwell Health Sciences Complex (DCC), directly across from the original quarter-acre rooftop farm on the fifth floor of the George Vari Engineering and Computing Centre. Surrounding a spacious 140 person gathering space, the DCC rooftop farm will add an additional 4300 square feet of growing space and a 400 square foot greenhouse that will be dedicated to year-round food production. The Urban Farm team gained occupancy of this roof in late summer 2020 and used the remainder of the growing season to amend the growing media by planting cover crops that will improve soil health and stimulate the soil food web.
In future, the DCC rooftop space will be a site for community programs and engagement. Due to COVID-19 health and safety considerations, campus access is currently restricted to essential services. When campus restrictions are lifted and it’s safe to welcome the community, the DCC rooftop gathering space will present an opportunity to expand Urban Farm programming with workshops, outdoor learning and events. The Urban Farm is collaborating with Ryerson Aboriginal Student Services to increase Indigenous-led growing spaces and engagement. This space will also continue to serve as a platform for interdisciplinary research in rooftop farming through the Living Lab.
You can follow the Ryerson Urban Farm on social media at @ruurbanfarm or view their website for upcoming webinars and news.
