Buzz off: community beekeeping proposal ousted

By Cal Braid
Taber Times
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

 At the July 21 meeting of town council, members voted to deny a first reading to amend the exotic and wild animals bylaw. Ken Holst appeared as a delegation on May 26 to promote honeybee keeping as a hobby within the town limits, and council was partially receptive to the idea.

After Holst’s enthusiastic presentation, council directed administration to adjust the bylaw to create a limited two-year trial period for a limited number of hobby beekeeping locations and report back to council at the conclusion of the trial. The bylaw was reformulated and came back for review.

 The meeting agenda said Alberta is the province with the most commercial bee hives in Canada, producing $100M of economic value to the province each year.

 “The Province has the Bee Act which focuses on keeping the provincial bee population healthy and safe from contamination and disease. Most communities in Alberta permit hobby beekeeping,” the agenda said. “Most of our peer communities have no, or very limited, requirements of beekeepers. Larger cities have more regulation.”

 It listed examples of other communities’ bylaws. A sample of those were: Lethbridge – no bylaw or other requirements; St. Albert – requires a beekeeping business license and consent of neighbours; High River – no bylaw, just handouts, applications, and advising to follow all provincial regulations; Lacombe – allows bee keeping with application to CAO, completion of a training program, registration with the provincial apiculturist; Olds – governed under the provincial bee act – municipal regulations, they allow residents to keep bees as per the provincial guidelines.

 Coun. Bekkering posed a question. “Why are we doing what we’re doing? Why don’t we just be governed by the Alberta Bee Act? It’s strong enough, and it’s punitive enough if there’s a big problem. Just leave it alone.”

 Mayor Prokop reconsidered his point of view after being approached by 40 or so town residents about the issue. “I haven’t asked, they’ve approached me,” he said. “So if they’re approaching me, that’s a concern in itself.”

 Locals expressed concern about family members who had bee allergies. Prokop wondered about the legal implications if a resident human with a severe allergy was stung by a resident bee. He said he was told that a severe reaction could be harmful up to the point of death.

 “I understand that honeybees maybe aren’t as aggressive as others, but they do sting on occasion,” he said, reminding everyone that there could be thousands of bees per hive. “One potential severe issue is one too many.”

 “Not one that I’ve spoken to has liked anything about it,” the mayor said of his conversations with locals, suggesting that his vote on the subject was about to change.

 Coun. Brewin agreed, having been the most outspoken at the previous meeting against a new policy that would allow in-town hives.

   Council voted on a motion to give first reading to the bylaw that would change the regulation – with an added instruction that administration look further into stings, beekeeper training, legal ramifications, and the Bee Act.

 The motion was defeated 4-3. Brewin raised two hands when casting his single vote.