Knowing how critical a healthy bee population is to agriculture in Ontario, the government is offering beekeepers financial support.
Under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, they can apply in a new cost-sharing program to cover the cost of equipment, sampling for pests, and buying queens.
The program is open to those with at least ten colonies registered with the Provincial Apiarist. Beekeepers with more than 50 colonies can apply for half the cost up to $10,000. Those fewer can apply for up to $3,500.
Applications open on June 21, 2021, and the program will continue until the government has allocated all of the funding.
It has been offered before, and Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Ernie Hardeman says uptake in the past was strong.
"We're taking into consideration feedback from beekeepers and the challenges of the industry to build on the program and tailor our support to the current needs of the sector," he said.
Under the first intake, the government targeted more than $550,000 to 350 projects involving more than 20,000 hives across the province.
