OCAD U Welcomes Rooftop Beehives

A square beehive with bees buzzing nearby
Beekeeper wearing a net visits hives
Honey in jars
Thursday, June 21, 2018

OCAD U is ushering in Summer Solstice! Alveole is an urban beekeeping team working with OCAD U and our building co-owner, Hullmark, to bring beehives to the rooftop of 205 Richmond St. W.
Come October 2018, OCAD U will have our very own neighbourhood honey!

Stay tuned for workshops this summer and fall to learn about urban beekeeping and the wonders of pollinating your neighbourhood!

Why urban bees?

Urban beekeeping creates alternatives: local honey, garden pollination throughout the city, and overall perennial greening.
The world population of bees is in dramatic decline, what with climate change, widespread use of pesticides, habitat loss and new diseases and parasites.
The phenomenon is alarming because bees play a major role in fruit, vegetable and nut production: about a third of what we eat relies on their pollination.
But cities, contrary to what we may believe, are truly the best place for bees: there are strict anti-pesticide laws, untapped floral diversity and largely unused rooftop space.

In Canada, 75% of honey comes from elsewhere. There is no say on whether it is blended, cut with corn syrup, or GMO. For the sake of quality and transparency, it would be ideal for consumers and sellers alike if we could rely more heavily on local honey.

Source: https://www.alveole.buzz/en/learn/fun-facts