Gardener I (Temporary)

City of St. Catharines; St. Catharines; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dedicated team at the City of St. Catharines and contribute to the beautification and maintenance of our community. This role involves hands-on work in parks and public spaces, ensuring they remain vibrant and welcoming for all residents. You'll be responsible for a variety of tasks, from planting and maintaining greenery to operating essential equipment. Enjoy a competitive hourly wage, flexible working hours, and the chance to make a real impact in your community. Embrace this opportunity to grow professionally while working in a supportive environment that values your contributions.

Benefits

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Pension plan

Professional development funds

Work-life balance

Supportive team environment

Qualifications

• Grade 12 Diploma or GED required.
• Post-secondary Diploma in Horticulture or equivalent experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Maintain flower beds, lawns, and ornamental trees in parks and roadside areas.
• Operate equipment safely, including trucks and tractors.

Skills

Effective time management

Customer service skills

Basic computer skills

Education

Grade 12 Diploma or GED

Post-secondary Diploma in Horticulture

Valid Class 'G' driver's license

Tools

Power-operated equipment

Truck

Chainsaw

Job description

Join us to shape the future of St. Catharines! About the City:

At the City of St. Catharines, we are committed to realizing the vision outlined in The City of St. Catharines - Strategic Plan 2023 to 2027 . Our goal is to cultivate a city that thrives on safety, innovation, sustainability, and caring, not just for today, but for generations to come. Join our team and be part of a meaningful journey to shape the future of our community, leaving a lasting impact that extends far beyond the present.

About The Role

Responsible for preparing and grading terrain, applying fertilizers, seeding and sodding lawns, and transplanting shrubs and plants, using manual and power-operated equipment.

What You Will Be Doing

• Maintain flower beds, lawns, ornamental trees and shrubs in parks, cemeteries and roadside areas. Sample tasks include:
• Prepare and cultivate soil including weeding, rototilling, plowing, rolling and fertilizing.
• Plant, transplant and remove trees, shrubs and flowers.
• Apply pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and fertilizer, as required.
• Prune and clip trees, shrubs and hedges.
• Mow lawns.
• Remove and dispose of debris and garbage from parks and gorges.
• Maintain an inventory for planting requirements.
• Operate equipment and vehicles such as but not limited to: truck, van, tractor, sidewalk plough, roller, vacuum machine, loader, snow blower, chainsaw etc., in a safe and efficient manner.
• Pick up and transport workers, parts, material, equipment and trailers as required
• General labour duties such as pot hole patching, hand-sweeping, litter pickup, landscaping, sidewalk clearing, watercourse cleaning, snow removal activities as needed.
• Provide functional leadership of others in small groups to perform various general labour and or horticulture duties.
• Ensure equipment is safe to operate, securely stored and practice good housekeeping of vehicle and work areas.
• Provide excellent customer service; respond to needs of all customers and staff as required.
• Efficiently and accurately complete paperwork (e.g. daily performance logs, time sheets and accident reports).
• Perform other similar and related duties as required.
  

These responsibilities outline the principal functions of the position and serve as a guiding vision for the role's impact and contribution.

About You: Qualifications:

• Grade 12 Diploma or General Educational Development (GED) Certificate.
• Post-secondary Diploma in Horticulture or equivalent of education and experience.
• Current Ministry of the Environment (MOE) Exterminator Technician required, Exterminator preferred.
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Accreditation preferred, working knowledge of IPM required.
• Valid - Standard First Aid / CPR C Certification as recognized through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB).
• Valid, unrestricted Class “G" driver’s licence held in good standing. Class “DZ" driver’s licence preferred.
• Formal training and experience with the Occupational Health and Safety Act in particular as it relates to maintenance and construction activities (e.g. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), fall arrest, trench safety).
  
  

Skills:

• Effective time management skills and attention to detail with the ability to organize work to meet deadlines, multi-task and work independently in situations with minimal supervision.
• Exceptional customer service skills with a strong sense of public service and cooperation, and well developed abilities to deal with the public and citizens’ groups.
• Basic computer skills, experience with Microsoft Office Suite an asset.
  
  

Other Requirements:

• A demonstrated commitment to enhancing a safety culture. Knowledge of City of St. Catharines safety policies preferred.
• Proven completion of Ministry of Labour Worker Health and Safety Awareness training.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Ontario Traffic Manual with emphasis on Book 7 preferred. Ability to safely set up traffic control in work zones during roadway or utility construction and maintenance operations.
• Ability to meet the physical demands of the job as described in the physical demands analysis (PDA).
• Availability to work flexible hours (e.g. working shifts for a 7 day, 24 hour operation, overtime, winter control).
  
  

What’s in it for you:

• Salary & Benefits: Get a competitive salary plus health, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage (for eligible positions).
• Pension Plan: Enjoy enrollment in the OMERS pension plan with matched contributions for a secure retirement. Learn more at OMERS .
• Flexibility: Achieve work-life balance with our hybrid work environment (for eligible positions).
• Professional Development: Access training and development funds to support your career growth.
• Make Your Mark: Share your ideas, drive change, and leave a lasting impact through modernization efforts.
• Great People: Work with a supportive team and a leadership team focused on growth and success.
  
  

Other Job Details:

• Pay Rate: $29.65
• Employee Group: CUPE 150
• Department: Municipal Works
• Position Type: Seasonal, Full-time (approx. April to November)
• Work Mode: In-person
• Work Location: Lake Service Centre
• Hours of Work: Monday to Friday, 6:00 AM to 2:00 PM
• Number of Openings: 10
• Job ID: 2025-46
• Posted Date: March 4, 2025
  
  

Additional Information:

To ensure fairness and efficiency in our recruitment process, we kindly request that all applications be submitted through our official portal at www.stcatharines.ca/jobs . Applications received through other channels will not be considered. We also advise applicants to maintain up-to-date contact information and regularly check their spam and junk email folders, as important communications regarding their application may be directed there.

For applicable positions, the recruitment process will be conducted using video conference technology. Please note that for certain roles, in-person interviews may be required.

They City of St. Catharines does not use AI Technology in any part of the recruitment process.

Employment Equity, Inclusivity And Accommodation

Dedicated to fostering an inclusive and accessible work environment, the City of St. Catharines is an equal opportunity employer committed to accommodating the needs of applicants under the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). We encourage applicants to inform the Human Resources Division of any accessibility needs to ensure they are accommodated throughout the recruitment and selection process.