When asked what they appreciate most about their Landscape Ontario membership, our members consistently cite our professional community as one of the top benefits of membership. Much of that community is focused on Landscape Ontario’s regional Chapters. At the time of writing, many of LO’s Chapter boards have met or will soon meet to plan their activities for next year. Now is the perfect time to remind you of all the incredible things your Chapter volunteers contribute to your community and your profession. It’s also a great time to talk to your local Chapter board about how you can get involved.

Landscape Ontario’s 10 Chapters allow the association to maintain a local presence throughout the province thanks to groups of incredible volunteers who dedicate their time and energy to improving their communities and uplifting the professional lives of their fellow tradespeople. There are about 90 of these people working on Landscape Ontario’s Chapter boards and each one of them deserves a pat on the back and a beverage of their choice if you see them out and about. Landscape Ontario’s Chapter volunteers work with association staff to bring educational opportunities to your area, organize community service projects and bring people together for social events. Here are a few examples:

Education

Every Chapter organizes regular meetings with educational speakers — prime opportunities to learn and network with professionals in your area. Some go above and beyond, like Waterloo Chapter, who stream their workshops online and post them to YouTube to benefit all Landscape Ontario members. Each Chapter also organizes annual Ministry of Transportation (MTO) events to help members keep up with critical road safety and vehicle regulations. These safety events are often paired with extra educational content at events like Golden Horseshoe’s Gear Up for Spring and Ottawa’s GreenTrade Expo.

Community service

Are you aware of how your Landscape Ontario Chapter contributes to your community? LO volunteers don’t just focus on improving their industry, they also give back to the communities they and their clients call home. Each winter, Ottawa Chapter partners with the Caring and Sharing Exchange Sponsor a Hamper program to distribute hundreds of food bins to families in need. This past summer, Toronto Chapter volunteers organized a community planting to help Sunnybrook Veterans Centre in their efforts to provide support for pollinators. And last year, Upper Canada Chapter unveiled their finished landscaping project at the Indigenous Food Sovereignty Gardens on Highway 15.

Social events

For many Landscape Ontario members, the two can’t-miss events of the year are their Chapter’s golf tournament and its winter social event. Our newest Chapter, Muskoka North, held their first golf tournament this year to great success. As of this writing, the Waterloo Fall Freeze Up is scheduled for Nov. 22 and London Chapter’s winter social is booked for Dec. 3. Georgian Lakelands members can look forward to their annual Snow Day in early 2025. These social events offer a casual atmosphere where LO members can relax with their peers, swap stories and enjoy some seasonal cheer.

Your local Chapter volunteers have been hard at work improving your profession, your community and maybe even your social life. If this isn’t news to you, let it be a reminder to thank your local Chapter board members for all of the work they do on your behalf. If it is news, read on to find out how you can get involved in the incredible work your Chapter does. Now is the perfect time to pay attention to all your Chapter has to offer. Come out to an event and ask, “What can I do for my Chapter?”

See all upcoming Chapter events online at horttrades.com/event. Learn what your Chapter is planning and who sits on the board at horttrades.com/Chapter.

Contact your Chapter's LO staff coordinator to find out how you can get involved.
 

Durham Georgian Lakelands Golden Horseshoe Muskoka North

Jaleesa Rhoden jrhoden@landscapeontario.com

Ottawa Upper Canada Waterloo

Karri Bylsma kbylsma@landscapeontario.com

Toronto London Windsor

Lauralee Gonzalez lgonzalez@landscapeontario.com

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