Founded in 2022 in Perth, Ontario, Garden Donkey™ (a division of Pembuilt Machinery) develops affordable, eco-friendly compact equipment for Canadians. The Garden Donkey™ brand combines sustainability and practicality with a sense of fun — early fans even requested T-shirts declaring “I AM the Garden Donkey™!”
Founder Scott Pemberton, a lifelong mechanical engineer and gearhead, wanted to make a meaningful contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on fossil fuels. Instead of competing in crowded markets like automobiles or handheld tools, he looked for overlooked equipment with big emissions. The inspiration struck after yet another back injury: Canadians need to move stuff — heavy loads at home, on farms, and on worksites.
The team set out to build battery-powered machines that are versatile, reliable, simple, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible from creation through operation to end-of-life recycling.
While many manufacturers rely on lithium-ion batteries, Garden Donkey™ uses sealed lead-acid technology — a safer, durable, and infinitely recyclable option supported by Canada’s century-old recycling industry. Key advantages include:
