Town of Fort Erie ‘moving towards becoming a bee town’
January 15, 2025 at 10:18 PM
It’s hive time Fort Erie supports the little buzzing pollinators that make life as we know it possible.
The town will be applying for bee-friendly designation through Bee City Canada. Bee-friendly municipalities commit to supporting work that establishes and maintains healthy pollinator habitats within their town or city limits.
Discussions about being a bee-friendly town go back to 2019, Mayor Wayne Redekop said.
“I’m pretty excited about the fact that we are going to be moving towards becoming a bee town. This is an important initiative that really builds upon all of the work that’s been going on in this community back to the time when we did the first natural heritage inventory,” he said.
“This is a part of a piece that moves us forward. I think that we’re the preeminent municipality in Niagara in terms of environmental issues. This helps us to continue on down that road.”
In addition to applying for designation, the report also directs staff to reach out to the community and environmental groups to support pollinator-friendly projects. Designation means the town will commit to protecting and promoting pollinators, gather a community “pollinator” team, and provide resources to the public.
Declines in the populations of pollinators such as bees has been a concern among environmental and agriculture groups for several years.
Bee City Canada’s website estimates that more than 87 per cent of flowering plants are animal-pollinated, and three quarters of the major crops we grow for human consumption either depend on, or benefit from, animal pollinators. That accounts for just over one third of food production by volume.
Some crops that rely on pollinators include blueberries, watermelon, apples, almonds, avocados, coffee, cacao and more.
St. Catharines became the first bee-friendly designated municipality in Niagara back in 2017. Niagara Falls has since joined, meaning Fort Erie would be the third Niagara municipality to get designation.
Councillor Tom Lewis said the designation is not only important in its own right, but also in the other opportunities the town can pursue.
“I hope we don’t stop with this here, and I hope we look at other things that can be done with the birding community and other things that can be done to promote ecotourism,” he said, adding there are grant opportunities for things like regenerative agriculture.
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About The Author
Luke Edwards
Luke Edwards is a longtime Niagara community journalist who has covered a variety of beats, including business, agriculture, the wine industry and politics. When not writing, there's a good chance he can be found at a baseball diamond or curling rink.
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