The Town of Yarmouth is the winner of the Healthier, Livable Cities category, receiving a rating of 5 Blooms - Gold and a special mention for Community Engagement during the 2026 National/International Symposium and Awards Ceremonies in the City of Montréal, Québec last week. The other finalists in this category were Stonewall, MB and Stratford, ON.
Over the summer, trained volunteer judges travelled to participating communities to evaluate the overall contributions of municipal council and departments; industry; businesses and the private sector – including volunteer efforts – regarding the following criteria: Community Appearance, Environmental Action, Heritage Conservation, Tree Management, Landscape and Plant & Floral Displays.
Following their evaluation, volunteer judges Susan Ellis and Larry Hall wrote:
“The extraordinary Town of Yarmouth has a growing population of 6829 (Stats Can 2024) and an outstanding number of over 1000 volunteers who are ready, willing, and able to contribute their time and energy to help Yarmouth be one of the best towns in Canada in which to live! Mayor Pam Mood has provided diverse, equitable, and inclusive leadership to all members of the community, and the Town supports several organizations annually with small operating grants which helps to ensure their success. This circle of care that is clearly evident is central to the success of community businesses and organizations, while the work of the volunteer brigades saves them thousands of dollars for; health and wellness; recreation and culture; food and family security issues; community funding sources and; placemaking groups services and initiatives! These are all community benefits that residents in other towns must pay for. The cost for the residents of Yarmouth? Their time and energy. The value of their commitment? Priceless! ”.
Within the actual context of climate changes and environmental concerns, communities involved in the program can be proud of their efforts, which provide real and meaningful environmental solutions and benefit all of society.
For a complete list of the results, please visit www.communitiesinbloom.ca.
About Communities in Bloom
Communities in Bloom is a Canadian volunteer and partnership-driven non-profit organization that uses a multi-tiered competitive evaluation process to foster community strength, involvement and continuous improvement. This is accomplished by nurturing environmental sustainability, enhancements of green spaces, and heritage conservation, in cultural and natural environments encompassing municipal, residential, commercial, and institutional spaces. For more information about Communities in Bloom, visit www.communitiesinbloom.ca.
Communities are evaluated using a “bloom” rating determined by the total score of the evaluation:
0 to 55 %=1 Bloom 56 to 63 %=2 Blooms 64 to 72 %=3 Blooms 73 to 81 %=4 Blooms 82 % and over=5 Blooms
There are four (4) levels of 5 Blooms exclusive to the National and International Edition:
5 Blooms: 82 to 83.9% Bronze: 84 to 86.9% Silver: 87 to 89.9% Gold: 90% and over