Depave Paradise

Reasons To Depave

Hard surfaces like driveways, parking lots and buildings interrupt the natural water cycle. This creates heat sinks, prevents rain from soaking into the ground and compounds flood risk. Stormwater runoff collects pollutants and carries  them to the nearest surface water, closing beaches and compromising drinking water sources. 

Removing pavement and replacing it with native plants, trees and shrubs helps offset and reduce these issues. 

Overhead view of several people planting

Depaving has many benefits:

  • Naturally cools urban areas.
  • Restores the natural water cycle.
  • Absorbs rainfall and reduces the risk of flooding.
  • Creates habitat for native birds, pollinators, and animals.
  • Supports urban cooling and beautification.
  • Builds awareness, skills and motivation to create more resilient neighbourhoods

Learn more about Depave Paradise

Take Action

Check out the action projects Implemented by the community

View Action Projects
students sitting in park

History of Depave Paradise

Depave Paradise drew its initial inspiration from Depave in Portland, Oregon. Since their first event in 2007, Depave has removed more than 100,000 square feet of pavement. 

In 2012, Green Communities Canada brought this exciting project to Canada and conducted the first Depave Paradise event at The Mulberry School in Kingston. Red Squirrel Conservation (now Sustainable Kingston) organized this debut event and provided a hands-on training opportunity to the first depavers who went on to host their own events in cities across Ontario.

Soon after, the depaving trend started catching on across Canada with ever growing results.

320+Cities
100+Events
16,000m²of greenspace added

Get Depaving

If you’re part of a group or organization interested in
bringing Depave Paradise to your community, we want
to help you!

For locations in Quebec please contact our partners at the Centre d’écologie urbaine by clicking here.

For the rest of Canada, contact us here

Depave Stories

The joys of unleashing the earth

An image of a woman and a young girl at a planting site. They are crouched down around a newly planted tree. There is a dark green block at the top that says "Demonstrate Stream Applications Now Open! Apply by December 1, 2025." Another dark green block at the bottom has the Living Cities Canada and GCC logos.

Intake Open for 2026 Demonstrate Stream of Living Cities Canada Fund

November 14, 2025

Apply by December 1, 2025, at 11:59 pm ET Apply Now We’re excited to announce that applications are now open for the 2026 Demonstrate Stream…

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A view of Parliament Hill with the text "Response to 2025 Federal Budget" with the GCC logo at the bottom right.

Response to 2025 Federal Budget

November 5, 2025

While Green Communities Canada (GCC) welcomes the confirmation of several commitments in the 2025 Federal Budget, we await crucial details on investments in nature-based solutions, active transportation, and electrifying…

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Four youth gathered around a newly planted tree in fresh soil. One of them is holding a shovel. All of them are smiling into the camera.

Digging Deeper: How Soil Health Research Supports Canada’s Mini Forest Movement 

September 18, 2025

The healthy growth of any planting project depends on its foundation: the soil provides the structure, nutrients, and microbial life that our gardens and forests…

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