The second edition of the Canadian Landscape Standard (CLS) has been released by the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA) and The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA).

Based on the highly successful British Columbia Landscape Standard, the CLS has been in use since the first edition launched in 2016. It is a single, authoritative resource for landscape construction projects across Canada.

The CLS is a national guideline which establishes the standard of landscape work in every province across the country. Most importantly, the CLS supports sustainable design, green infrastructure and climate adaptation.

“With the CLS Second Edition 2020 on the desk of every landscape professional across the country, we, together, can effect better designed, built, maintained and managed landscapes in our communities, towns and cities,” said Christene Stenhouse LeVatte, chair of the CLS CSLA CNLA joint committee. “It is the landscape horticulture industry’s time as we position as key product and service providers in a world dealing with the real effects of climate change.”

The second edition of the CLS is available by yearly subscription, ensuring that subscribers always have access to current standards and best practices, which the CLS steering committee will release as developed.

All CNLA and CSLA members will receive a digital subscription of the CLS as a member benefit via email. Non-members can purchase the CLS here: https://www.csla-aapc.ca/standard.

Volunteers and subject matter experts in every province reviewed the CLS to ensure that it represents conditions of landscape work in all climatic and geographic regions, making the CLS relevant and applicable to all regions of Canada and available in both official languages.

In addition to being completely revised, the second edition of the CLS features the following new content:

• Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute [ICPI] Hardscape Standards – one Standard for North America
• Invasive Species and the National Voluntary Code of Conduct for the Ornamental Horticulture Industry
• Ontario Landscape Tree Planting Guide
• Snow & Ice Operations Risk Management Guidelines: Cold Climate Factors
• Landscape Commissioning Plan [LCx] Checklist.