Resident Asks City To Keep Hives In Check

There is an old idiom ‘honey is the nectar of the gods' but the bees who make this divine nectar are seen as anything as holy by one resident when they invade her yard.

Speaking by video link Moose Jaw resident Tabitha Fielder wants the City to either restrict or otherwise institute policies when it comes to beekeepong within Moose Jaw.

“I don’t have a problem with bee keeping but I think we should have a policy or bylaw for beekeeping in the city as it affects more than one household,” Fielder told Council.

Fielder said she had more than one family member with severe allergies to bees and her yard has been inundated with bees due to a next door beekeeper.

“How many people in the area who may have a child or an adult with allergies (to bees) in said residence,” she asked.

Fielder said bees are attracted to standing water in such things as bird baths, fountains, kiddie's pools, dog dishes and swimming pools where they can become a threat as well as a nuisance.

“Bees are attracted to any kind of standing water. Once the bees know they don’t have to go too far from the hive for water or pollen they make a trail and keep bringing other bees back from the hive. You can actually see them flying back and forth from the hive.”

Fielder claimed she, as well as family members, have been stung by bees while out working and enjoying their yard.

“Our dog has been stung, my husband and myself as well in the very dry Summer we had last year. (I was stung) changing the sprinkler to spray nozzle. My husband has been stung changing the pump on our fountain.”

Tabitha Fielder (left side of screen) speaks to Council via video link about her concerns regarding urban beekeeping in Moose Jaw - MJ Independent photo

Fielder claimed bees inundating her yard making her family unable to enjoy it at times.

“Our son cannot go out into the yard. Especially warm days because collect as they are searching for water to cool the hive. And as for wild bees and wasps there is less of a chance of being stung as having a hive in the area,” she claimed.

Fielder saud she would like to see the City adopt a policy similar to Edmonton's policy where nearby residents are alerted and asked for input about whether they want a bee hive located close to their homes.

At present time the City of Moose Jaw, after many years of not allowing urban beekeeping, has no rules nor regulations on how it is to be conducted. The City has deferred beekeeping regulations to the Province.

At present the Province requires all beekeepers to register the location of their hives.

Director of planning Michelle Sanson said Fielder is the first person to express any concerns regarding the present beekeeping policy plus additionally the City does not know how many domesticated beehives there are in the city.

“Based upon what we have received there hasn’t been a lot if concerns,” Sanson said.

Regarding new beehives the City receives no information as to the number or location from the Province.

“The City does not get any notification. We did ask the Province but they did not share that information with us,” Sanson said.

Councillor Scott McMann said concerns made by Fielder “certainly have some merit” when making the motion to refer the issue back to Administration to prepare a report.

Councillor Crystal Froese said she could see a reason to have some type of rules regarding beekeeping in Moose Jaw.

“A few more criteria (we could) build a better neighbourhood around that,” Councillor Froese said. “Having some criteria would be important to that…at some point it could become a home based business.”

In a 4 - 3 vote with Councillors Brian Swanson, Chris Warren and Dawn Luhning opposed and Mayor Fraser Tolmie, Councillors McMann, Froese and Heather Eby in favour the issue was referred back to Administration to prepare a further report on urban beekeeping with the city.

Beekeeping, especially urban beekeeping, has seen a recent revival as the number of European honey bees have bee decimated the world over by some unknown maladies. Experts have pointed to the decline in bees or pollinators puts a large percentage of the world's food supply in jeopardy.

With the rise in urban food production there has been a corresponding rise in urban beekeeping. Moose Jaw is not immune to this trend.

For a look at the importance of bees and how you can help them read Kimberly J Epp's column Save Our Bees.