Beekeeping

Beekeeping Industry Facts and Information

Did You Know...

A single bee colony can produce more than 100 pounds (45 kg) of extra honey and this is what is harvested by the beekeeper! [learn more cool facts]

Over 50,000 bees live in a hive! [more honey bee trivia...]

No reports of Africanized honeybees (AHB) in Canada!

Take a Beekeeping Course

British Columbia
Introductory Beekeeping Course - annual 6 x 3 hour classroom and an apiary visit, total 22 hours instruction at various colleges. Contact BCMAL.
Introduction to Beekeeping-Royal Roads University Continuing Studies
Bee Master short course held biannually by BCMAL in conjunction with Simon Fraser University.
Honey Bee Centre offers short courses in beekeeping
Honeyland offers short course for beekeepers
Beekeeping in the warm land -Vancouver Island University, Centre for Continuing Studies

Alberta
Bees, Biology and Management online course Olds College
Backyard bees - Apiaries Bees and Community urban beekeeping course

Manitoba
Beekeeping for the Hobbyist - University of Manitoba and MAFRI includes 7 lectures (17.5 hours), one apiary visit and one visit to a honey packing plant.

Ontario
Introductory Apiculture course, Office of Open Learning, University of Guelph.
Ontario Beekeepers' Association Tech Transfer program - 3 one day introductory courses.

Quebec
Alma College - Exploitation d'une enterprise apicole

Pollination

Our pollinators are in trouble! Click here to find out about Save Our Bees campaign.

Canola pollination is an expanding industry in southern Alberta. Hybrid Seed Canola pollination
Honey bees are responsible for pollinating 1/3 of our food crops! [More pollination figures]
The value of honey bees to Canadian agriculture is over $1 billion. AAFC has provided a model for calculating the value [Learn More]
Managing bees for pollination [Learn More]
Blueberries need bees! [Learn More]
Be a pollinator observer [Learn More]
North American Pollinator Protection Campaign [Learn More]
NSERC-CANPOLIN is a 5 year project studying managed and wild pollinators in Canada [Learn More]

Diseases and Pests

For treatment of American Foulbrood, Nosema, Varroa mites and Tracheal mites, the following sites have expert recommendations:
Ontario
British Columbia
Canadian Association Professional Apiculturists
Manitoba

Downloads

The Canadian Honey Council has produced a poster on Seasonal Management of Honey bees using Integrated Pest Management. Click here to download IPM Poster

Beekeepers are great inventors and early adopters of technology. Click here to download a summary of the CHC's CEO's presentation on Inventions from the Creative Minds of Beekeepers presented to the NSW Apiarist's Association State Conference.

The Canadian Honey Council has registered oxalic acid for the treatment of varroa mites on honey bees. Click here for the Pest Management Regulatory Agency approved directions for use Label - Oxalic Acid

There are no approved products for Waxmoth control. Click here for PMRA directive on this issue.

Foreign workers are often needed for seasonal help. Click here for the application form for HRSDC Labour Market Opinion

Bee Research Fund

The Canadian Bee Research Fund (CBRF) was established to counteract the problems caused by severe reductions in federal and provincial funding for honey bee research. It is a joint project of the Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists and the Canadian Honey Council. The Board of Directors is comprised of four members, two from CAPA and two from CHC. The Canadian Honey Council takes direction from the CBRF board of directors and administers the fund as required.

The CBRF has been set up as a long-term endowment fund. Interest generated by the CBRF is made available for annual grants. Beekeepers direct the type of research that they want to support. The CBRF is entirely supported by donations from the apiculture industry and is a unique partnership between CAPA researchers and CHC members.

Projects and Grant Money Disbursed

Donate to the Canadian Bee Research Fund. Download a donation form

Apply for Funding

Beekeeping in the Developing World

There are opportunities for Canadians to assist with beekeeping projects in the developing world.

World Vision Canada
offers a beehive or a beekeeping kit (veil smoker and gloves) for a small donation that will assist the recipient's family improve their income through honey production.

Bees for Development Trust assists beekeepers in the developing world through communications, outreach and donations to the Good Gifts project for Bees for Development,

Canadian University Services Overseas (CUSO) has positions from time to time for volunteer apiculturists. Visit their website for currently open positions.

Beekeeping in Urban Areas

The art of beekeeping can be practised anywhere that bees can forage for nectar and pollen.
Some cities allow beekeeping, some ignore it and others have bylaws that restrict or ban the activity. There is no one source on the internet for locating cities that allow honey bees. Cities set their own bylaws and it is a mish mash of rules and regulations that varies across the country. Recently Vancouver, Richmond, North Vancouver, Burnaby and Delta have all changed their bylaws to allow beekeeping. Others like Calgary have nothing that allows or disallows bees, providing they are not a nuisance. Ontario has a provincial regulation that does not allow bee hives within 100 ft of a property line but the rule is generally ignored and a blind eye is turned to urban beekeeping, unless there is a problem.
The Fairmont hotel chain has bees on the rooftop at the Royal York in Toronto and the Fairmont Waterfront hotel in Vancouver, so they are helping in changing attitudes to urban beekeeping.
Check with your provincial apiculturist for current regulations.
Bees are kept successfully in downtown Vancouver. Click here to see rooftop bees in Vancouver Convention Centre.
Backyard beekeeping is growing in Calgary. Click here for Apiaries Bees and Communities.
Chicago is embracing urban beekeeping. Click here for the Chicago Co-op Story.
The first lady Michelle Obama has introduced bees to the white house garden. Click here for more on the story.
Vancouver British Columbia allows beekeeping. Click here for more in the City Farmer.
Blog on beekeeping in urban areas visit the urbanworkbench.com


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Beekeeping Beekeeping Industry Facts and Information Did You Know... A single bee colony can produce more than 100 pounds (45 kg) of extra honey and this is what is harvested by the beekeeper! [learn more cool facts] Over 50,000 bees live in a hive! [more honey bee trivia...] No reports of Africanized honeybees (AHB) in Canada! Take a Beekeeping Course British Columbia Introductory Beekeeping Course - annual 6 x 3 hour classroom and an apiary visit, total 22 hours instruction at various colleges. Contact BCMAL. Introduction to Beekeeping-Royal Roads University Continuing Studies Bee Master short course held biannually by BCMAL in conjunction with Simon Fraser University. Honey Bee Centre offers short courses in beekeeping Honeyland offers short course for beekeepers Beekeeping in the warm land -Vancouver Island University, Centre for Continuing Studies Alberta Bees, Biology and Management online course Olds College Backyard bees - Apiaries Bees and Community urban beekeeping course Manitoba Beekeeping for the Hobbyist - University of Manitoba and MAFRI includes 7 lectures (17.5 hours), one apiary visit and one visit to a honey packing plant. Ontario Introductory Apiculture course, Office of Open Learning, University of Guelph. Ontario Beekeepers' Association Tech Transfer program - 3 one day introductory courses. Quebec Alma College - Exploitation d'une enterprise apicole Pollination Our pollinators are in trouble! Click here to find out about Save Our Bees campaign. Canola pollination is an expanding industry in southern Alberta. Hybrid Seed Canola pollination Honey bees are responsible for pollinating 1/3 of our food crops! [More pollination figures] The value of honey bees to Canadian agriculture is over $1 billion. AAFC has provided a model for calculating the value [Learn More] Managing bees for pollination [Learn More] Blueberries need bees! [Learn More] Be a pollinator observer [Learn More] North American Pollinator Protection Campaign [Learn More] NSERC-CANPOLIN is a 5 year project studying managed and wild pollinators in Canada [Learn More] Diseases and Pests For treatment of American Foulbrood, Nosema, Varroa mites and Tracheal mites, the following sites have expert recommendations: Ontario British Columbia Canadian Association Professional Apiculturists Manitoba Downloads The Canadian Honey Council has produced a poster on Seasonal Management of Honey bees using Integrated Pest Management. Click here to download IPM Poster Beekeepers are great inventors and early adopters of technology. Click here to download a summary of the CHC's CEO's presentation on Inventions from the Creative Minds of Beekeepers presented to the NSW Apiarist's Association State Conference. The Canadian Honey Council has registered oxalic acid for the treatment of varroa mites on honey bees. Click here for the Pest Management Regulatory Agency approved directions for use Label - Oxalic Acid There are no approved products for Waxmoth control. Click here for PMRA directive on this issue. Foreign workers are often needed for seasonal help. Click here for the application form for HRSDC Labour Market Opinion Bee Research Fund The Canadian Bee Research Fund (CBRF) was established to counteract the problems caused by severe reductions in federal and provincial funding for honey bee research. It is a joint project of the Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists and the Canadian Honey Council. The Board of Directors is comprised of four members, two from CAPA and two from CHC. The Canadian Honey Council takes direction from the CBRF board of directors and administers the fund as required. The CBRF has been set up as a long-term endowment fund. Interest generated by the CBRF is made available for annual grants. Beekeepers direct the type of research that they want to support. The CBRF is entirely supported by donations from the apiculture industry and is a unique partnership between CAPA researchers and CHC members. Projects and Grant Money Disbursed Donate to the Canadian Bee Research Fund. Download a donation form Apply for Funding Beekeeping in the Developing World There are opportunities for Canadians to assist with beekeeping projects in the developing world. World Vision Canada offers a beehive or a beekeeping kit (veil smoker and gloves) for a small donation that will assist the recipient's family improve their income through honey production. Bees for Development Trust assists beekeepers in the developing world through communications, outreach and donations to the Good Gifts project for Bees for Development, Canadian University Services Overseas (CUSO) has positions from time to time for volunteer apiculturists. Visit their website for currently open positions. Beekeeping in Urban Areas The art of beekeeping can be practised anywhere that bees can forage for nectar and pollen. Some cities allow beekeeping, some ignore it and others have bylaws that restrict or ban the activity. There is no one source on the internet for locating cities that allow honey bees. Cities set their own bylaws and it is a mish mash of rules and regulations that varies across the country. Recently Vancouver, Richmond, North Vancouver, Burnaby and Delta have all changed their bylaws to allow beekeeping. Others like Calgary have nothing that allows or disallows bees, providing they are not a nuisance. Ontario has a provincial regulation that does not allow bee hives within 100 ft of a property line but the rule is generally ignored and a blind eye is turned to urban beekeeping, unless there is a problem. The Fairmont hotel chain has bees on the rooftop at the Royal York in Toronto and the Fairmont Waterfront hotel in Vancouver, so they are helping in changing attitudes to urban beekeeping. Check with your provincial apiculturist for current regulations. Bees are kept successfully in downtown Vancouver. Click here to see rooftop bees in Vancouver Convention Centre. Backyard beekeeping is growing in Calgary. Click here for Apiaries Bees and Communities. Chicago is embracing urban beekeeping. Click here for the Chicago Co-op Story. The first lady Michelle Obama has introduced bees to the white house garden. Click here for more on the story. Vancouver British Columbia allows beekeeping. Click here for more in the City Farmer. Blog on beekeeping in urban areas visit the urbanworkbench.com