Toronto is about to get an influx of wild bee sanctuaries
A new project is appealing to wildlife enthusiasts, amateur botanists and anyone with a garden to help welcome back and care for the over 300 species of bees that call Toronto home.
The BIMBY (Bees in My Backyard) Project from the David Suzuki Foundation hopes to help the bee population in the city by encouraging Toronto residents to install bee sanctuaries in homes or community gardens.
Residents would then work alongside researchers to monitor the bees from about May to October each year.
Getting bees in your backyard won't be free, though. You'll need to pony up $125 that will help cover the costs of the "wild bee hotel" as well as data collection.
Beekeeping has become a popular activity around the city, with beekeeping workshops regularly offered and companies like Alvéole helping to make urban beekeeping more accessible.
Recently, a downtown real estate company adopted hives on the roofs of several condo buildings and produced batches of honey for its residents.
Although the population is on the rebound, a large number of bees have disappeared in different parts of the world due to climate change, widespread pesticide use and habitat loss.
For anyone looking to take part in the BIMBY project, training is available beginning April 18.
