Apply Now for TSMG Basic Training
There are still seats available in the Thompson Shuswap Master Gardeners (TSMG) 2026 Basic Training Program, which starts in January.
Training prepares students to become Master Gardener volunteers, who educate the public within communities on research-based best practices in sustainable horticulture and environmental stewardship.
The 12-week basic training program consists of a hybrid of weekly virtual and in-person lectures and workshops that will run January 7 to March 31, 2026. The basic training’s in-depth curriculum focuses on sustainable urban gardening concepts and techniques that have practical application to the Thompson Shuswap region of British Columbia.
Classes will be held via Zoom on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 9 pm (13 sessions) and a combination of Zoom/in-person on Saturdays (8 full-day in-person sessions in Kamloops).
Participants who complete the basic training coursework and successfully complete 50 hours of volunteer community service (organized by the TSMG) over a two-year period earn the title of Certified Master Gardener.
Applicants will ideally have experience in horticulture and volunteering, a willingness to give back to the community, and the time to do so.
Tuition for 2026 Basic Training is $700. For additional details about the curriculum, visit the TSMG website. The deadline to submit an application is November 30, 2025. Online applications are available at this link.
Please direct enquiries to Sherry Bennett by email at [email protected]. If you have missed the deadline but would like to apply, please contact Sherry before submitting the form.
Transition Kamloops
Transition Kamloops is a volunteer-driven, registered not-for-profit society focused on increasing local resilience and self-sufficiency in food, water, energy, culture and wellness. We emphasize a local economy, healthy ecosystems, and grassroots community building, while reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. We believe in a better way: a community that sustains life in all its diversity, strives for equality and justice and invests in the future.
Transition Kamloops recognizes that we are living on Secwépemcul’ecw—land that was never ceded to settlers, and continues to be home to vibrant Indigenous cultures, languages, and traditions. We acknowledge the impact of colonization, forced displacement, and ongoing struggles faced by Indigenous peoples. We commit to listening, learning, and building positive relationships with Indigenous communities as we work towards reconciliation.
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