Canada: 200 compost bins arrive at Vancouver’s Compost Garden.

Now in its 33rd year, this distribution program continues to be very popular.

City Farmer
March 9, 2023

Vancouver’s first backyard compost bin distribution program began in 1990 when a variety of bins were distributed from the Compost Demonstration Garden at 2150 Maple Street.

Now in 2023, 200 more bins have arrived from Toronto for distribution. In its 33rd year, this program continues to be popular and is surely the longest running municipal bin distribution program anywhere.

A Vancouver Sun article by Stewart Bell in June 1990 said: “On weekends, visitors to the compost garden can scrutinize about a dozen types of prototype composters. For those who prefer test-drives over window shopping, the city will be selling 200 composters for between $15 and $50 – about a third of retail. The only catch is that you have to fill out a report card on the composter so the city can decide which types work best. Applications are available at the compost garden or from city hall.”

Paul Henderson wrote this summary of the program in 1999.

Backyard Composting

Vancouver’s first backyard compost bin distribution program began in 1990. Although at that time there were already a few backyard compost bin distribution programs operating in North America, there was a general sentiment that a composter was a pile of debris at the back of the yard.

In cooperation with City Farmer, a Vancouver non-profit group that has been instrumental in promoting backyard composting in Canada, and various composter manufacturers, Vancouver developed standards for rodent resistant composting. Vancouver’s approach was developed in cooperation with local environmental health officials and focussed on reducing the attractiveness of backyard composters to rodents. Residents are encouraged not to compost meat and other preferred food sources and also the bins sold to residents are designed to be “rodent resistant”. Vancouver’s approach has ensured that the promotion of backyard composting has not created nuisance and public health impacts associated with increased rodents and other pests. To date, Vancouver has distributed more than 25,000 backyard composters among approximately 90,000 single-family households.

In addition to backyard composting, Vancouver and City Farmer have been promoting worm composting in Vancouver since the early 1990s. Worm composting provides a composting alternative for residents without access to the space required for backyard composting. Through City Farmer, Vancouver has been distributing worm composters to Vancouver residents since 1993. To ensure that residents adequately understand the complexity of operating a worm composter each resident that purchases a worm bin is required to attend a one-hour workshop on worm bin care and maintenance. Since the inception of the program, a total of 2000 worm bins have been distributed to Vancouver residents. City Farmer also offers composting and worm workshops to schools and other community groups.

Backyard Composting Education

Vancouver and City Farmer have been working together to educate residents on the benefits of composting since the outset of Vancouver’s composting program. City Farmer operates a compost demonstration garden and compost hotline (the hotline is funded by the Greater Vancouver Regional District) that provide residents with detailed information on the benefits of composting as well as how-to information. City Farmer has also been able to act as a focal point for media attention on composting education. Each year approximately 9000 people either visit the garden or phone the compost hotline.

City Farmer’ Compost Garden.