POPULATION CATEGORY: Competitive categories between all Canadian municipalities.
Each population category is comprised of a maximum of four communities from each province. The following communities are invited to participate:
- The top two communities from each province in each population category (excluding the winners of the category) from the previous year’s national edition are invited back to national competition. To remain in the national edition, a minimum of 75% is recommended.
- Communities from the previous year’s provincial editions as recommended by the respective provincial organization. Up to two communities can be recommended from each population category in each province. A minimum of 80% in the provincial edition is recommended to participate in the national edition.
- Past National Finalists in the Provincial Edition Provincial Option (or ‘Friends’) Category who are within two years of having participated in the National Competition (please refer to the description of the Provincial Option or ‘Friends’ Category below).
The population categories, which can be modified as determined by registrations, are:
1-1000, 1001-3000, 3001-5000, 5001-10000, 10001-20000, 20001-50000, 50001-100000, 100001 to 300,000 and Over 300,000.
Each community receives a mention for a special achievement or initiative and is awarded a bloom rating based on the score:
55-63 points: 2 blooms
64-72 points: 3 blooms
73-81 points: 4 blooms
82 and more: 5 blooms
The score determines the winner of the category. The winner of each population category is invited to participate for the following two years in the International Challenge or in the Circle of Excellence. After two years, past winners are eligible again to participate in their population category of the national edition, as long as they have continued to participate in the program. A community cannot participate in both the national and provincial edition in the same year.
INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE: a competitive category between national winners.
The International Challenge is organized by Communities in Bloom in partnership with other National Programs (such as Britain in Bloom, America in Bloom, Tidy Towns of Ireland, Japan in Bloom, Villes et Villages Fleuris de France).
- Past national winners from the previous two years are invited, based on criteria of their respective country, to compete with each other. The population categories are determined according to registrations. The evaluation is based on the Communities in Bloom criteria and the winner in each category is determined according to the highest score.
CIRCLE OF EXCELLENCE: a non-competitive category, with or without an evaluation.
This category is available only to Past National Winners.
- Non-evaluated: communities are registered in the national edition (thus receive all benefits as such) but are not evaluated by a jury. They are expected to continue local "Communities in Bloom" initiatives to maintain their bloom rating. Please note that communities are required to be evaluated at least once every 3 years (ex. A community that remains non-evaluated for two years in a row, must be evaluated the third year).
- Evaluated: communities are evaluated but are not competing with other communities. The evaluation is to confirm their bloom rating and, as stated above, must be done at least once every 3 years.
MENTORING: A non competitive program or category to encourage new participants.
This category may be available through the provincial editions *
- A Past National Finalist or Provincial Participant (Mentor) invites a community (Mentored) that has never participated in the Communities in Bloom program to participate in their respective provincial edition. The Mentor provides guidance and assistance to the Mentored.
- The participating communities are judged individually and obtain a separate bloom rating. The past national finalists maintain all rights and privileges for future national participation, and the new community obtains all the rights and privileges of the provincial edition.
* International Mentoring will be the responsibility of the National Edition.
PROVINCIAL OPTION (formerly known as ‘Friends’): A non-competitive category, with or without an evaluation, for National Finalists and Provincial participants who do not wish to compete.
This category is now the responsibility of the provincial editions, where applicable, and will be made available as resources permit. Please note that different Provincial Organizations may have different names for this category.
The past national finalist, while being registered in the provincial edition, maintains all rights and privileges for future national participation. The past national finalist must exercise their right for national participation within two years of choosing to not participate in the national competition. If this right is not exercised, the municipality will be provided the option to renew its participation in the provincial edition or remain in the Provincial Option (formerly known as the ‘Friends’) Category. Please note that communities are required to be evaluated at least once every 3 years (ex. a community that remains non-evaluated for two years in a row, must be evaluated the third year).