Garden Labourer

Position Details:

Current Rate of Pay: Min = $23.54/hr, Max = $27.29/hr

Employment type: Seasonal

Duration of employment: 31 weeks

Hours of work: 35 hrs/week

Work location: The Village at Black Creek

Division: Conservation Parks & Lands

Business unit: Conservation Lands

Travel: 70%

Remote Work: None

Seasonal Hire TRCA – 2025

Seasonal job opportunities are plentiful at TRCA. If you are looking for seasonal job openings, we can provide great opportunities and seasonal perks. To apply to this posting, click on the “Apply” icon.

Please submit your resume and cover letter in one file (PDF or Word) prior to midnight on March 9, 2025.

By working at TRCA you will:

• Work outdoors during the spring and summer in beautiful natural areas.
• Gain valuable experience working at a conservation authority.
• Get a free Conservation Ontario annual pass.
• Get access to TRCA’s Reciprocal Program (discounts across various Ontario attractions).

How you will contribute as part of the TRCA team:

The Garden Labourer is responsible for supporting the implementation and maintenance of the display gardens and landscapes on TRCA properties and municipal partner sites.

Major Responsibilities:

• Assists with tasks related to preserving and maintaining TRCA gardens by performing general gardening maintenance including edging, digging up and dividing perennials, planting, cultivating, weeding, staking, dead heading, monitoring for pests and disease, and assisting with maintenance of shrubs and trees.
• Assists with pest management, by inspecting gardens routinely for signs of and damage using prescribed applications for pest removal.
• Monitors gardens and landscapes for signs of disease or stress (e.g., stunted growth, chlorosis, wilting, foliar discolouration, or loss).
• Welcomes and greets visitors to TRCA sites and addresses questions related to the gardens.
• Participates in daily safety meetings including tailgate meetings, hazard identification and emergency planning.
• Incumbents may also be assigned other duties.

What will you need to succeed:

Education (degree/diploma/certifications)   

• Actively pursuing or possess a post-secondary degree/diploma in a related field, preferably horticulture, natural science, biology, botany, or environmental science.

Experience

• Minimum of one (1) year experience in gardening/landscaping.
• Minimum of one (1) year experience working with the public an asset.

Knowledge/Skill/Ability

• Working knowledge of horticultural maintenance procedures such as pruning, deadheading, staking, weeding, edging and watering.
• Plant identification skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with tact and courtesy.
• Able to self-manage workload and prioritize tasks independently.
• Able to comprehend and interpret planting plans.
• Required to lift or carry objects that could weigh up to 20kg.
• Must be flexible to work all required shifts, including weekends and holidays.

While the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) thanks all applicants for their interest, only those under consideration will be contacted for interviews. Please be advised that successful incumbent(s) may be required to undergo a vulnerable sector screening and/or driver’s abstract check as a part of the final step in the hiring process.

TRCA is an equal opportunity employer. We embrace diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace. Our goal is to attract, develop and retain highly talented employees from diverse backgrounds, allowing us to benefit from a wide variety of experiences and perspectives. In accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and TRCA Policies, accommodation will be provided at any point throughout the hiring process, provided the candidate makes their accommodation needs known to the TRCA. We welcome applications from all qualified persons.

Personal information you provide through the TRCA recruitment, selection, and onboarding process is collected under the authority of the Conservation Authorities Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.27. Collection of this personal information is necessary for the proper administration of this recruitment process for employment and volunteer positions with TRCA. Personal information is protected from disclosure pursuant to the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.  Any questions regarding this collection activity should be directed to the Manager of Records and Information, 101 Exchange Avenue, Vaughan, Ontario, L4K 5R6, (437) 880 2308.