For Urban Gardens or Urban Outdoor Farms that do not include raising hens or bees, please complete the Residential Development and Building Application Form and check off the Description of Work as “Urban Garden” or “Urban Outdoor Farm.”

For Urban Indoor Farms, please complete the Commercial Development Permit Application Form and check off “Other” and write in “Urban Indoor Farm.”

Greenhouses, plant nurseries, and garden centres

For temporary or permanent greenhouses, plant nurseries, and garden centres, a development permit for a commercial use is required and commercial building fees apply.

You will need a development permit if:

A) You plan to keep bees or hens as permitted by the Animal Care and Control Bylaw

B) You are growing fruits and vegetables outdoors and are:

1. Using a vacant or underutilized private lot; or,
2. Selling your food products on-site

C) You are growing fruits and vegetables indoors and are:

1. In a commercial or industrial building; and/or
2. Selling your food products on or off-site.

For more information, please review the City of Edmonton Zoning Bylaw.

If you’re looking to grow food on vacant lands, check out the Vacant Lot Inventory for Urban Agriculture provided by the City.

2016 fees

Effective February 1, 2016

*To see if it is a permitted use or a discretionary use, you can use the City of Edmonton’s mapping tool, or you can contact the Permits and Licensing Service Centre.

Bees may be kept on a property, as long as you abide by the urban beekeeping guidelines, and you have an urban beekeeping licence and the appropriate development permit.

Hens may be kept on a property, as long as you abide by the Urban Hen Keeping Procedures and Guidelines, have an urban hen keeping licence and the appropriate development permit.

A) Animal products (chickens, bees, honey, eggs, etc.) are not allowed to be sold.

B) If you want to sell your fruits, vegetables, and other products on your property, your Urban Outdoor Farm or Urban Indoor Farm will require a business licence, which you can apply for at the same time as your development permit.

C) If you want to sell your fruits, vegetables, and other products at an Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development-approved farmers’ market, a business licence is not required.