Canada and Ontario investing more than $1.7 million to support honey beekeeping operations
News release
Investment will help hundreds of beekeepers improve their honey bee colonies and boost competitiveness in the face of U.S. tariffs.
August 1, 2025 – Toronto, Ontario – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
The governments of Canada and Ontario have invested more than $1.7 million through the Honey Bee Health Initiative to help the province’s beekeepers grow and protect their honey bee colonies from disease, pests and weather-related threats. To support the province’s plan to protect Ontario, this funding will help 206 local beekeeper businesses, with a total of 334 individual projects, improve the resilience of their colonies and boost the competitiveness of their honey bee operations in the face of U.S. tariffs.
In 2024, there were more than 4,000 registered beekeepers across Ontario, generating $28 million in farm gate sales. The Honey Bee Health Initiative provides cost-shared funding to help these businesses make operational improvements to reduce overwintering losses, purchase equipment to improve hive health management and acquire new honey bee stock or queens.
This initiative was funded under the Sustainable CAP, a 5-year, $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of Canada’s agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5-billion commitment that is cost-shared 60% federally and 40% provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.
Quotes
“Healthy bee populations are vital to the diverse crops that grow right across Ontario. I’m pleased that our support through the Honey Bee Health Initiative is helping beekeepers protect their colonies and improve their resiliency for years to come.”
- The Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
“Our government is proud to invest in Ontario’s honey bee industry through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, in collaboration with the federal government. This strategic investment supports innovation and strengthens resilience across Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food sectors, helping our farmers and food businesses navigate today’s economic challenges. By supporting our beekeeping industry, we’re protecting the essential role pollinators play in agriculture and securing Ontario’s food supply chains.”
- Trevor Jones, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness
“Honey bees in Ontario provide valuable pollination services to many of the crops we eat. High winter losses, new pests, and the threat of treatment resistance have made recent years challenging for Ontario’s beekeepers. The Honey Bee Health Initiative has been a valuable support for beekeepers who are having to change their practices or invest in new equipment to meet the emerging challenges. It is helping to enable beekeepers to continue to provide the critical pollination services to the broader agricultural and horticultural community here in Ontario.”
- Stephen Moore, President, Ontario Beekeepers’ Association
“OSCIA is pleased to deliver the Sustainable CAP, Honey Bee Health Initiative programming that supports beekeepers in reducing biosecurity risks, overwintering loss, and preventing the introduction and spread of honey bee pests and disease within their beekeeping operations. Honey bees play an essential role in the pollination of Ontario’s horticulture and field crops. Funding support for equipment and facilities that improve hive health best management practices and for the purchase of disease resistant honey bee stock and queens helps ensure healthy colonies with genetic diversity and long-term sustainability for Ontario’s beekeepers.”
- Eleanor Renaud, President, Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association
"We are thrilled the governments of Canada and Ontario recognize the essential role honey bees play in Ontario's agricultural industry and ecosystem. This investment in partnerships with beekeepers demonstrates their strong commitment to supporting the health and vitality of bee populations across Ontario and Canada. Clovermead Apiaries Ltd. took advantage of this funding opportunity to support the health of our honey bees so that they continue to produce high-quality honey and bee pollen, used for pollinating crops and ensuring healthy food products for Ontarians. Together, we are fostering a more sustainable and resilient apiculture industry and agricultural system for the benefit of all."
- Chris Hiemstra, Clovermead Apiaries Ltd., Aylmer
Quick facts
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The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association delivered the Honey Bee Health Initiative.
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This funding, combined with cost-shared investments by the sector, is expected to equal almost $5.9 million in total honey bee colony protection enhancements across the industry.
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Additional actions to support the sector include the back-to-back Honey Bee Health Management initiatives under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership and enhanced Production Insurance, also known as AgriInsurance, for beekeepers.
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Approximately 1,600 jobs and $47 million in GDP was tied to the province’s honey industry in 2024, and Ontario is Canada’s fourth-largest honey-producing province, with 2.65 million kilograms of honey produced in 2024.
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Enhancing the sector’s ability to anticipate, mitigate and respond to risks in Canada’s agri-food sector was a key priority set for Sustainable CAP by the federal-provincial-territorial agricultural ministers in The Guelph Statement.
Associated links
Contacts
For media:
Annie Cullinan
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
annie.cullinan@agr.gc.ca
Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972
aafc.mediarelations-relationsmedias.aac@agr.gc.ca
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Spencer Fair
Minister’s Office
Spencer.Fair@ontario.ca
Connie Osborne
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness