NOVEMBER 2017 GERMINATION.CA 33 “The possibility for a bit of infrastructure to help people grow their own food is on the radar now as part of urban planning,” he adds. Wayne Gale is president of family-owned Stoke Seeds in Thorold, Ont. and a member of the Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA) board of directors. Gale says it’s difficult to forecast what the growth of urban agriculture will mean to the Canadian seed sector, especially in terms of breeding. Apart from facilities such as the Vineland and Simcoe research stations in Ontario, seed breeding doesn’t really exist on a large scale in this country, he says. “Canada is at a little bit of a disadvantage because we are a smaller marketplace and we don’t have that home- grown breeding industry, so we’re a little more reliant on what the U.S. or Europe does,” he says. One of the challenges for the Canadian seed sector when it comes to capitalizing on new opportunities such as urban agriculture will be determining how to maxi- mize return on investment for any new products. Gale says the return on investment for anything aimed primarily at the Canadian market is generally pretty small, “unless you get into something really big like turf or in some cases nursery stock, where it’s a huge number.” Still, there could be room for innovation. Gale says some seed products that have been designed for urban markets, such as carbon monoxide-resilient petunias, have been quite successful. “If somebody identifies a niche and it’s large enough, there are opportunities to come up with a need and get the industry to try and breed to that need,” he says. However, Gale believes there could be far more oppor- tunities for Canadian seed companies in terms of distribu- tion, which is one of the primary focuses of the industry. A Growing Awareness Vikram Bhatt is a professor of architecture at McGill University who has done extensive research on urban agriculture. One of his most recent projects focused on edible landscapes and how to incorporate urban agri- culture into cities, particularly at a neighbourhood level, involving whole communities. Bhatt says the growing interest in urban gardens has had a huge influence on the architectural community in this country and around the world. He cites Robson Square in Vancouver and Place Bonaventure in Montreal as prime examples of what can be achieved when urban greening is incorporated into large-scale developments. “The awareness is much, much greater now. It’s not the exception — it’s becoming much more expected of the profession to be dealing with it,” he says. “It’s the clients who are demanding it.” Bhatt says one of the first things the seed industry should consider is working closely with proponents of such projects, especially smaller growers. “It will require a little hand-holding, in my opinion. To help grow food, it is important to know what plants require, but also what growers need, and how you pre- pare them,” he says. “An avid gardener is an avid gardener. But if you want to initiate [newcomers] who are very eager and driven, you should have an educational side to facilitate things in a constructive manner. Know your constituency and understand its needs to work with them. If the seed industry recognizes this, it can become a very robust partner in the urban agriculture movement.” Wayne Gale is president of family-owned Stoke Seeds in Thorold, Ont. and a member of the Canadian Seed Trade Association board of directors. What is the typical turn around for tests? Does BioVision provide sample bags or containers? What is the typical turn around for tests? What are the lab locations? Does BioVision provide sample bags or containers? 1-800-952-5407 www.biovision.ca @seed_testing Did you know you can now TEXT us your questions? Give it a try at 1-587-801-1313 What is Clubroot & should I test for it? How do I send BioVision a sample? BioVision offers a pre-paid courier... When should I send my samples? Seed Testing • Varietal Purity • Grain Grading • Soil & Tissue Testing SHERWOOD PARK • WINNIPEG • GRANDE PRAIRIE