The Plant Rebate Program offers rebates to residents who purchase perennial Zone 1-3 plants listed on the Qualifying Plants List (pdf) . A rebate of 50 percent of the cost of the plant(s), to a maximum of $50, is applied to your utility account. You are eligible to apply for the rebate once per property every year, no matter the rebate amount. If you have applied for the rebate in previous years, you can apply again..

The Plant Rebate Program has closed for the 2024 season and is no longer accepting applications. Please check back in Spring of 2025 for updates.

Who qualifies for a rebate?

You qualify if you:

• Are a city of Red Deer resident.
• Have a City of Red Deer utility (water bill) account.
• Purchase plant(s) from the Qualifying Plants List (pdf) in 2024.
• Plant the plant(s) in the ground at a property located in the city of Red Deer.
• Include a copy of the receipt of your plant(s) purchase. The receipt must clearly indicate the name of the store, product name, price and date of purchase. Your name must be clearly written on the receipt.
• Include before and after photos of the space where the plant(s) was planted, as well as photos of the plant identifier tag(s).

Plant seeds also qualify for rebates. Please include before and after photos of the seeds in the ground, photos of the seed packets, and copy of the receipt.

The program runs from May 1 to October 31. A limited number of rebates are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please allow eight to 12 weeks for the credit to be applied to your account.

For more information, please refer to our Qualifying Plants List (pdf)  and Plant Rebate Program FAQs (pdf) or contact Environmental Initiatives at 403-406-8820 or environmental.initiatives@reddeer.ca. 

Are you an owner or condo association for a multi-family residence? Please check out our new multi-family pilot program!

What is a perennial plant and what are its benefits?

Perennials are plants that live year after year such as trees and shrubs which have significant life spans. Some trees and shrubs retain their foliage throughout the year, but most herbaceous perennials, including many flowering perennials, die back to the ground during the first fall freezes. During this time, the leaves, stems, and flowers die back to the ground, leaving a dormant root structure. Upon the advent of spring, new plant tops form and the cycle begins again.

What is a drought-tolerant plant and what are its benefits?

A drought-tolerant plant is one that can withstand periods of dryness and high temperatures with minimal irrigation. Drought-tolerant plants may be native or non-native.

Why select perennial or drought-tolerant plants?

• Lower maintenance– Perennials suited to our climate zone are adapted to the local conditions and require fewer inputs like fertilizer and water in order to thrive.
• Conserve water– Drought-tolerant plants can withstand periods of dryness and high temperature, meaning less water is needed for irrigation. Applying mulch around the plants will further help to conserve water.
• Support local wildlife biodiversity– native wildlife depend on the biodiversity of plants types to provide them with food and habitat.
• Prevents stormwater pollution – fewer inputs like fertilizers and pesticides are needed.

How to select the right plants for my yard

• Rebates are only provided for the purchase of plants that are identified on The City of Red Deer Qualifying Plants List (pdf) . This list includes plants that adapt well to Red Deer’s local conditions and that are low maintenance.
• When selecting plants and designing your yard consider the following:
  • Location: does the location get full sun, partial shade, or lots of shade?
  • Spacing: some plants grow high or spread out wide, plan the planting area for plant full maturity size.
  • Soil texture: Red Deer’s soil can range from black loam to heavy clay. Consider adding mulch, compost, or conditioners (like manure, sand and perlite) to improve drainage and growing conditions.
  • Soil pH and nutrient levels: some plants have specific pH and nutrient requirements. Select plants that can grow well in your soil’s current conditions.
  • Climate: how hot and dry does your yard get during the growing season?

How to care for my plants

• Applying mulch around your plants has multiple benefits, including conserving water, preventing weed growth, preventing soil erosion, and improving soil quality. Apply a layer of 2 to 4 inches of mulch, approximately 3 inches from the base of the plant. Apply for a mulch rebate today.
• Plants require more water during their first year, to ensure that the root system is strongly established. Water 1-2 times per week spring and fall months, and 2-3 times per week during the summer months of July and August. Use rainwater to water your plants. Apply for a rain barrel rebate today.

The Mulch Rebate Program offers rebates to residents who purchase permeable mulch. A rebate of 50 percent of the cost of the mulch, to a maximum of $50, is applied to your utility account. Maximum one rebate per property annually regardless of the rebate amount.  If you have applied for the rebate in past years, you are eligible to apply again.

The Mulch Rebate Program has closed for the 2024 season and is no longer accepting applications. Please check back in Spring of 2025 for updates.

Who qualifies for a rebate?

You qualify if you:

• Are a City of Red Deer resident.
• Have a City of Red Deer utility (water bill) account.
• Purchase permeable mulch (e.g. bark mulch, wood chips) in 2024. Rubber mulch does not qualify.
• Apply the mulch at a property located in the city of Red Deer.
• Include a copy of the receipt of your mulch purchase. The receipt must clearly indicate the name of the store, product name, price and date of purchase. Your name must be clearly written on the receipt.
• Include before and after photos of the space where mulch was applied.

The program runs May 1 to October 31. A limited number of rebates are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please allow 8 to 12 weeks for the credit to be applied to your account.

For more information, please refer to our Mulch Rebate FAQs (pdf) or contact Environmental Initiatives at 403-406-8820 or environmental.initiatives@reddeer.ca.

Are you an owner or condo association for a multi-family residence? Please check out our new multi-family pilot program!

What is mulch?

Mulch is material that is put over exposed soil as a protective covering. Mulch can be applied over your garden beds and around plants, shrubs and trees.

Why only approved plants and permeable mulch?

Using permeable materials, such as bark nuggets and wood chips, for mulch in home landscape design helps to conserve water, prevent flooding, lower erosion and stormwater pollution, control weed growth, moderate soil temperature, and improve overall soil quality.

Likewise, using drought-tolerant and native plants in landscape design aids in water conservation, lower maintenance, supports biodiversity and prevents stormwater pollution.

Why use mulch?

• Conserve water – Mulch slows evaporation and helps soil retain moisture, which means watering less often.
• Prevents flooding – By improving soil’s ability to retain moisture, mulch also helps prevent floods during heavy rainfall events.
• Prevents erosion and stormwater pollution – Mulch helps protect your topsoil from being washed away by rain and wind. This also helps prevent your topsoil from being washed into storm drains and polluting the river.
• Control weed growth - Mulch deprives weed seeds of light to help keep them from sprouting and gaining energy to push through the mulch.
• Moderate soil temperature– Mulch insulates the soil - and therefore your plants - from extreme hot and cold.
• Improves soil quality – Over time mulch materials such as cardboard, grass clippings, leaves and wood chips will break down and add to the soil structure, thereby helping to reduce compaction, retain moisture and provide necessary nutrients to plants.

How to use mulch

• Though you can apply mulch anytime, a good time to apply new mulch in the spring when ground has thawed but isn’t waterlogged.
• Weed beds thoroughly before applying mulch; putting mulch over existing weeds won’t necessarily smother them. If you know the space is filled with weed seeds or perennial roots, cover it with a layer of plain cardboard, newspaper or biodegradable fabric and top it with more visually appealing mulch.
• Apply between two and four inches of mulch. You need that much to get the benefits, but more than four inches can deprive soil of oxygen, which is bad for your plants’ roots and for the beneficial microbes living in the soil.
• Keep mulch at least three inches away from the base of any plant, shrub or tree. “Mulch volcanoes” around the bases can lead to problems with insect and rodent infestation, and excess build-up of material and moisture around the base of the plant which can lead to tree trunk and plant crown rot.
• Turn decayed mulch into the soil with a tool like a garden weasel or a pitchfork before reapplying new mulch to avoid compaction and build soil.
• Replenish mulch as needed to keep it between two and four inches deep.
• Dampen the mulch if it is at risk of blowing away.
• Ensure that mulch is not installed close to the street or alley way. Mulch may run off during heavy rainfall or wind events, entering and clogging storm drains and polluting the Red Deer River.

Other rebate programs