Toronto gardens, Toronto jobs

Position: Gardener (Contract)
Organization: Evergreen
Location: Evergreen Brick Works, Toronto ON
Term: seasonal, contract role from April to October

Evergreen is seeking a Gardener to join our team.

We are a national non-profit transforming public spaces in our cities for the health of people and our planet. With over 30 years of championing urban sustainability, we see the potential of our cities to solve some of the biggest issues facing our time and believe that our public spaces are the key to unlocking it. We see beyond the spaces that exist today and imagine them transformed into places where people and nature thrive.

The Evergreen Brick Works site, where our head office is located, is built on the sovereign territory and waterways of the Haudenosaunee, Wendat, and Anishinaabe Nations. These nations continue to be the original governments, continuing leaders and decision makers that govern these lands. The territory is governed by Treaty 13 signed by the Mississaugas of the Credit. Treaties remind everyone of our mutual responsibilities to these Nations and the many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit who call this land home. 

Why Evergreen?

In staff engagement surveys, Evergreen employees consistently report that their colleagues are one of the best things about working here. What else is in it for you?

• A reduced work week (4.5 days) for all full-time staff.
• Flexible workdays that align with your life needs and role responsibilities.
• Access to mental health resources.
• Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that support staff who are Indigenous, racialized, or 2SLGBTQ+, as well as ERGs for allyship learning, and to support caregivers of all kinds.
• Active workplace committees, including Health & Safety, IDEA, and Employee Engagement.
• Access to informal and formal skills development and resume building opportunities.
• A beautiful head office location surrounded by nature at Evergreen Brick Works, with a free shuttle bus from Broadview Station.

Key Accountabilities

A day-in-the-life of this role might include:

• Following and contributing to the development of comprehensive daily, weekly and seasonal garden management plans including maintenance, planting, irrigation, invasive plant control, composting and soil building strategies.
• Supporting the development, facilitation and delivery of community volunteer programs focused on gardening, stewardship, composting, etc.
• Contributing to Capital Infrastructure upgrades and improvements related to existing and new gardens and projects at Brick Works.
• Working closely with Indigenous colleagues and partners, demonstrating best practice in co-governance of the Brick Works site.
• Assisting in the development and delivery of ecology-focused programming, including hosting citizen science groups and facilitating tours, walks, talks and presentations as required.
• Supporting regular monitoring and maintenance of greening projects on and off-site, including garden builds, events, and workshops with community and corporate partners.
• Participating in daily meetings, trainings and orientations and participating in professional development opportunities.
• Ensuring tool inventory is up-to-date and well-maintained.
• Applying an integrated pest management (IPM) approach.
• Being a positive and proactive contributor to workplace safety.
• Supporting flood preparation, evacuation and clean up protocols as necessary, as well as emergency responsiveness.

What You’ll Bring

Success in this role will be supported by the following target qualifications and core competencies:

• Post-secondary degree, diploma or certification (or working towards completion) in Horticulture, Restoration Ecology, Environmental Sciences, Biology or a related discipline. Equivalent professional experience also accepted.
• 1 - 3 years of experience working in the field of gardening/landscaping, stewardship and sustainability, regenerative agriculture/permaculture design.
• Strong understanding of native plant ecology, wildlife habitat requirements and the ability to identify and interpret natural assets.
• Experience with growing food crops in urban contexts.
• A sound understanding of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
• Working at Heights certification required (or willing to obtain).
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications.

You might have the following assets:

• Familiarity with the principles of vermiculture and beekeeping.
• Interest in living willow design, coppicing and woodlot management.
• Experience leading citizen science activities and/or supporting volunteers.
• This position may be funded by Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ), which requires candidates be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of the employment. Meeting these criteria is considered an asset but not required.

Aren’t sure if you check every requirement on this list? That’s ok! We are still interested in hearing from you. We’d love to learn more about how your unique experience might make you a great addition to Evergreen.

Still Interested? Here are some other things you should know!

• This is a full-time hourly role to fill a vacant position.
• This is a seasonal, contract role from April to October.
• The target hire rate for this role is $24.00 per hour. To ensure equity and transparency, our target hire rates are real and are not flexible. If this posted rate does not meet your needs, we ask that you save your application for a time when there is a role and salary that is a fit for you.
• Vacation pay equal to 4% of wages earned included.
• This role is supervised by Senior Specialist, Urban Ecology & Greenspace.

Working Conditions

• This position is based out of Evergreen’s head office at Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto and requires consistent on-site presence.
• Outdoor work, sometimes in inclement or hot weather.
• Stand for extended periods, lean, reach, lift heavy objects and undertake repetitive tasks regularly.
• CSA approved Safety Shoes/Boots are required.
• Evergreen Brick Works is located in a flood plain of the Lower Don River and is prone to occasional flooding. Under these conditions, employees may be asked to participate in clean-up activities.

Our Recruitment Process

Interested applicants should submit their candidacy by Sunday, March 29, 2026 through our Career page. Please limit your resume to three pages. Please also include a cover letter to introduce yourself and to give us further context on your job history and skills you’d like to highlight. Candidates selected for an interview will be contacted directly by a member of our People & Culture team.

• There will be one in-person interview at Brick Works.
• We will be reviewing submissions on a rolling basis. This posting may close early in the event that a number of great candidates are identified prior to the deadline.
• We are committed to ensuring that all applicants are notified when the role has been filled so that you aren’t left wondering about the position.

We’re always learning, so please reach out at any stage of the application process if you require support or adaptations. Evergreen is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible work environment. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all qualified individuals. In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code, Evergreen will provide accommodations throughout the recruitment cycle to applicants who request them.

Evergreen uses a people-focused approach to evaluating applicants. We do not utilize artificial intelligence during the recruitment process.

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