WHAT DOES STAGE 2 MEAN?
Stage 2 - Residential watering:
Lawn watering is prohibited.
Trees, shrubs, and flowers can be watered if using an automatic or manual sprinkler any day from 5 am and 9 am, or any time by hand or using drip irrigation. Hoses must have an automatic shut-off nozzle.
Vegetable gardens can be watered any time.
Stage 2 - Non-residential watering:
Lawn watering is prohibited.
Trees, shrubs, and flowers can be watered if using an automatic or manual sprinkler any day from 4 am and 9 am, or any time by hand or using drip irrigation. Hoses must have an automatic shut-off nozzle.
Vegetable gardens can be watered any time.
Why do we have watering restrictions?
A low snow pack means our water supply isn’t as robust as officials would like it to be.
The watering restrictions help conserve our drinking water resources. The GVWD is outlining a strategy that will see Vancouver and The North Shore move into Stage 3 watering restrictions in April. Something we haven’t seen since 2015.
The stages are determined by the Greater Vancouver Water District. The Greater Vancouver Water District (GVWD) was created and constituted under the provincial statute the Greater Vancouver Water District Act, to supply drinking water to the Metro Vancouver region. The GVWD is governed by an Administration Board (the Board) consisting of representatives from the member jurisdictions of the GVWD. The Board appoints a Commissioner (the GVWD Commissioner) who provides management and oversight of the activities of the GVWD. The GVWD operates under the name “Metro Vancouver”.
Sustainability
MOVING TO SUSTAINABLE OPTIONS
Grass alternatives are a great way to move toward a more sustainable option for your landscape.
CLOVER
The Vibe: Soft, lush, and stays green even in droughts.
The Win: It pulls nitrogen from the air and puts it into the soil (self-fertilizing!). It also provides food for bees.
GROUND COVER
The Vibe: A consistent, sometimes flowering carpet.
The Win: It’s drought-tolerant and can handle light foot traffic. Plus, it smells amazing when you walk on it.
XERISCAPING
The Vibe: A curated, textured look using boulders, gravel, and structural plants like Agave or Yucca. It swaps the flat green carpet for a sophisticated, high-end landscape that feels intentional and modern.
The Win: You’ll slash water bills by up to 70% and delete "mowing" from your weekend to-do list forever. It’s a low-maintenance powerhouse that thrives on neglect while looking expensive.
POLLINATOR GARDEN
The Vibe: Whimsical and Alive. A lush, colorful explosion of wildflowers, milkweed, and lavender.
The Win: Ecological Heroism. You’re turning a sterile space into a vital pit stop for declining bee and monarch populations. It requires zero chemicals, builds superior soil health, and provides you with a front-row seat to a thriving, private nature documentary
CHRIS’S CORNER
May is when your landscape really starts to wake up, but with Metro Vancouver’s updated watering restrictions going into Stage 2 on May 1st, a more strategic approach to lawn and garden care is essential. Focus on strengthening your lawn early with a slow-release fertilizer and overseeding thin areas while soil moisture is still naturally higher. Raise your mowing height slightly to help turf retain moisture and reduce stress as drier conditions set in.
In the garden, apply a generous layer of composted mulch to lock in moisture and suppress weeds. You may also want to consider incorporating more drought-tolerant plants where possible. It’s also a smart time to inspect and optimize your irrigation system - ensuring it’s efficient, compliant and only used when permitted. Thoughtful adjustments now will keep your landscape healthy while conserving water through the summer months and prevent any fines for not following the bylaws in your community.
A Final Note
With our aggressive water restrictions, the future of Vancouver’s green spaces is likely going to need to shift toward climate resilience, moving away from high-maintenance turf and toward landscapes that thrive in our increasingly dry summers and wet winters. Rather than viewing this as a loss of the traditional lawn, we can think of it as an upgrade to a "tapestry" approach, incorporating hardy options like micro-clover, native groundcovers, and drought-tolerant perennials. These alternatives offer a lush, beautiful aesthetic while naturally conserving water and supporting our local pollinators!
By embracing a garden that works with our changing environment rather than against it, we can create outdoor spaces that are not only easier to maintain but also better prepared to flourish for years to come and more cost effective when it comes to maintenance and long term viability.
“I can't imagine anything more important than air, water, soil, energy and biodiversity. These are the things that keep us alive.”
