Celebrity chefs have beehives and vegetable gardens behind their restaurants, and large food retailers have rooftop gardens. Municipalities and districts are relaxing their regulations to allow residents to raise chickens, and the vast interiors of deconsecrated churches are becoming hydroponic production spaces. Concrete roofs in large cities are being converted into intensive production areas, and vertical greenhouse systems are being developed. There is seemingly no end to the examples! The urban agriculture phenomenon is growing rapidly and taking many shapes, both in Canada and around the world. What is the root of this phenomenon? How should the agricultural sector based in rural settings respond? Where does this leave traditional players in the agricultural world? What are the potential impacts of this urban development on the perception of agriculture? This conference aims to understand the phenomenon and reflect on the coexistence of these different production models.
