Yesterday's meeting of McNab Braeside's Committee of the Whole continued the discussion on beekeeping bylaws. While the meeting did clear up some of the issues with the new bylaw as written, it is not in line with what the Ontario Beekeeper's Association would like to see, particularly in a rural agricultural area.
In a position statement put out by the OBA in recent weeks, they stated:
"... the OBA suggests the following be considered during bylaw development:
1. Beekeeping should be allowed on any type of property regardless of zoning.
2. The number of hives on a property should not be restricted regardless of size or zoning.
3. A dispute resolution mechanism will help to ensure that all beekeepers continue to proactively engage with their neighbours and their community.
4. Property line setback guidelines have been an effective dispute resolution mechanism.
5. Setbacks should be explicitly described as dispute resolution mechanisms to avoid inadvertent misinterpretation by new bylaw officers.
6. If a complaint is made, then the setback between the hive location and the complainant’s property line should be the only setback considered in a dispute resolution process.
7. Bylaw limitations on beekeeping should not be more restrictive than the Bees Act.
8. It is important that all beekeepers in Ontario register with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA). If a complaint is made against a beekeeper who is not registered with OMAFA then additional compliance issues under the Bees Act may be raised.
9. Consultation with the OBA during the development of bylaws would be welcomed."
The reviewed bylaw for McNab Braeside now allows bees in all zones, at a limit of 5 hives for landowners with 1-2 acres, 15 hives for those with 2-5 acres, and no limits beyond five acres. This is a net win when the previous iteration implied that only five hives would be allowed per lot regardless of lot size, but shows that work still needs to be done by beekeepers and their allies to ensure that beekeeping remains accessible to the next generation of beekeepers, particularly in a world where pollinators of all kinds are in decline.
This is also too little, too late for my own beekeeping efforts in McNab Braeside. I received a notification to move my hives from the 1.2 acre lot they are currently placed on. Under the new regulations I would be allowed up to five colonies, which is what I currently have on that property, but because someone at the council meeting I attended got a bee in their bonnet, a bylaw enforcement request was made. It came out during yesterday's meeting that this particular bylaw complaint was the only bee complaint on record in the municipality--ever.
You can read more about the Ontario Beekeeper's Association's views on bylaws here:
 
https://www.ontariobee.com/issues-and-advocacy/municipal-bylaw-development