There may be an increase of bees and beautiful flowers next summer in Winnipeg.

"Yesterday, City Council approved making bee keeping a permitted use in Winnipeg," said Matt Allard, City Councillor for Saint Boniface. "What it means in practice is that, if you own property, you can now apply for an apiary to have on your own property."

The vote was unanimous after a successful pilot project which allowed urban beekeeping in the downtown area.

"Bees are very important to our environment," Allard explained.

Bees are essential to pollination during the summer months, but their population has been going down across the world. Allard cites this as one of the reasons that urban bee keeping is important. 

But Allard brought up another reason that has to do with people knowing more about their food.

"People want to be more connected to their food and how it's grown . . . and this adds to that," Allard said. "It's certainly opening up the discussion about food security.

"It's a great step in the right direction."

Allard says that he has already heard of two different locations that are planning to apply, while others have asked about different animals, such as egg-laying hens.

The Standing Policy Committee on Property and Development, Heritage and Downtown Development gave the following reasons for its recommendation:

  1. There are many benefits to this including environmental, educational, quality of life and food security.
  2. This has been vetted through the public with significant consultation.
  3. We first did this in the downtown and it's working well.
  4. I don't see any downside to this.
  5. We're seeing this in other jurisdictions across the country and they haven't had significant problems.
  6. It's a wonderful and positive initiative.