Indigenous Eco-Landscaper Trainee

Job Title:  Indigenous Eco-Landscaper, RAINscapeTO

Duration: 6.5 Months (April - November 2025)

Hours Per Week: 35 hours per week

Rate of Pay: $22 / hour

Job Location: City of Toronto

Apply by: March 21, 2025

Are you looking for meaningful work that pays well and brings you closer to nature without leaving the City? Would you like to work with like-minded people? 

Then we want to hear from you! 

At RAINscapeTO you will be part of an eco-landscaping team that designs, implements, and maintains beautiful and earth-friendly gardens. Every day, you will be outdoors helping to build a sustainable and healthy urban landscape through the installation and maintenance of raingardens, pollinator gardens,  bioswales  and much more.

You can be part of a growing social enterprise that provides meaningful, culturally sensitive employment and training for emerging urban-placed Indigenous people. We value and respect the intrinsic connection of Indigenous peoples to the land as well as the rich ecological knowledge base held by the Indigenous community. For more information visit: rainscapeto.ca

You will work both on private gardens and green infrastructure projects in partnership with the City of Toronto. The experience in this seasonal position contributes toward opportunities in the City of Toronto’s Parks Department. For more information on the project visit: toronto.ca/greenforceto

ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS:

Only Indigenous* applicants registered or eligible to be registered at Miziwe Biik Aboriginal Employment & Training will be considered. Please state this in your application.

*Indigenous peoples, Status and non-Status First Nations, Metis and Inuit of Turtle Island (Canada).

JOB PURPOSE

The RAINscapeTO Indigenous Eco-Landscaper will be part of a dynamic team of passionate landscapers in designing, installing and maintaining gardens on private and public properties across the City of Toronto. No previous experience is required. The position consists of paid training and site work. Transportation between sites is provided and a TTC monthly pass will be provided for transportation to and from job start location. 

No previous experience is required. Just a passion for the outdoors and sustainability!

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The main responsibility of this position is to undertake all the tasks associated with the installation and maintenance of gardens on private and public properties under the guidance of the Lead and in collaboration with the team members. Some of these tasks include:

• planting various and native plant species (i.e. bulbs, flowers, shrubs, trees);
• digging rain gardens, grading;
• disconnecting downspouts and redirecting water to rain barrels or rain gardens;
• laying compost, mulch, soil, and installing other materials (i.e gravel, rocks, lining);
• garden maintenance, including removing and/or trimming trees and plants; weeding, dead heading, pruning, seed collection, watering;
• cleaning debris, litter from residential and commercial jobs;
• tool upkeep and maintenance;
• collecting, separating litter and removing weeds from BIA worksites;
• providing professional customer service;
• weekly reporting and team meetings with managers.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Preference given to candidates with ‘G’ or ‘G2’  Class driver’s license.
• Withstand up to 7 hours of physically demanding labour
• Adapt to varying tasks, conditions and locations
• Willing to work outdoors in changing weather (heat, rain, cold)
• Responsible, punctual, detail-oriented, reliable and flexible
• Manual dexterity, hand-eye coordination, attention to detail
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to work well in a team setting with co-workers and provide professional customer service for clients
• Interest in horticulture, plant identification, ecological gardening
• Some experience in residential, commercial or community organic/ecological gardening and landscaping would be helpful

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Work in varying weather conditions and spend extended periods outdoors, usually 8 am- 4 pm.
• Repetitive tasks
• Handling of heavy loads
• Physically demanding – bending, crouching, kneeling, sitting, standing, walking, digging, shoveling, raking

TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION

Email your cover letter and resume to: community@torontogreen.ca  with “Indigenous Eco-Landscaper” in your email’s subject line. Please specify if you have a driving licence and your availability to start. 

Deadline to Apply: March 21, 2025, 11:59PM

Please notify us in advance if you require any accommodations in the application process.

RAINscapeTO is a social enterprise created by the Toronto Green Community.

Toronto Green Community is a charitable organization committed to providing a workplace that supports equity, diversity and inclusivity. We proactively strive to eliminate any form of harassment and discrimination and be equitable by building these objectives and practices into our teams, programs and services. 

Thank you - miigwetch, tiawenhk, nia:wen, kinanaskomitin, maarsii!