Winnipeg, MB – Have you heard the latest buzz at City Hall? It might be coming from the second-floor roof of the Susan A. Thompson Building, where a hive of European honey bees has taken residence for the summer. Beeproject Apiaries, a local beekeeping business, is supplying and maintaining the controlled hive, which is capable of producing 100 pounds of honey a year.
“This hive offers visitors and employees at City Hall an opportunity to experience urban beekeeping” said Lindsay Mierau, Environmental Coordinator with the City of Winnipeg’s Office of Sustainability. “Beekeeping creates a connection between agriculture, economy, and urban life, making City Hall the perfect location for our fuzzy friends.”
In October 2017, the City amended its city-wide zoning to allow urban beekeeping in all areas. Crops such as canola, alfalfa, and sunflowers benefit from insect pollination. Inside the city center, honey bees will forage on urban gardens, including fruit trees, basswood trees, and lilacs, among other flowers. These flowers also give the honey a unique flavour and colour when compared to honey produced in rural areas.
The City will host two free beekeeping workshops this summer that will be open to members of the public. Details of the workshops will be announced at a later date.
Bee facts
- There are approximately 900 species of bees in Canada, with roughly 345 species in Manitoba
- Even a significant uptake in downtown beekeeping would not result in a noticeable increase in the number of honey bees seen in the city center
- Honey bees regularly forage up to 5 km from their hive
- Honey bees are generally docile and only sting in self-defense or to protect the hive
The Province of Manitoba registers and inspects all beekeeping operations under the Bee Act of Manitoba