Contribute To Our Ongoing Research

We’re creating a new, iconic facility for honey bee health education, research, advocacy and outreach. It will be a destination; a place of excellence in design, function and research. All in support of the future of honey bees.

Honey bees have always fascinated people. They are supreme examples of interdependence in nature and agriculture. With the right location and facilities, the HBRC will be able to amplify its research and education programs and provide more meaningful public outreach. Together we can create a community movement around supporting bees and bee health through the HBRC.

In addition to a 100 hive apiary, the new facility design may include, but is not limited to:

• Public areas (indoor and outdoor) with interactive education spaces where visitors can experience either self-guided or guided tours
• Classroom space that can double as event space
• A gift / book shop that is accessible either from an atrium and/or from an exterior door
• A research laboratory and a facility for extraction/processing and packaging of hive products including honey, pollen, propolis, beeswax and honey bee queens
• Office space
• Pollinator gardens and parking

Honeybees and other pollinators provide the pollination necessary for 1/3 of the food humans and wildlife require. The Honey Bee Research Centre’s (HBRC) mandate is to help honeybees continue this essential activity. We do this through research, teaching and outreach.

As honey bee health has declined significantly in the past decade, the HBRC’s role in bee health research has become increasingly important and recognized. The general public and all levels of government are now well aware of the importance of honey bees and are engaged in learning more about pollinators and in initiating projects to address the many factors affecting bee health. The interest in the hobby or profession of beekeeping has also surged exponentially. The HRBC enables access to apiculture courses and many other educational experiences for university students and the wider community.

Ongoing research and education is needed to support these critical members of the ecosystem and that’s why the new and expanded Honey Bee Research Centre is so important.