OSCIA – Honey Bee Health Initiative
Receive up to 50% Cost-Share Funding.
The Government has announced new funding to support beekeepers in maintaining healthy honey bee colonies as well as grow their number of colonies to increase the sustainability of the beekeeping industry in Ontario. Eligible project costs are to improve overall operations for the purpose of reducing biosecurity risks, overwinter loss and to manage or prevent the introduction and spread of honey bee pests and disease.
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OSCIA – Honey Bee Health Initiative
Amount of Funding
- 50% cost-share funding up to a max of $4,500 per registered hobbyist beekeeper.
- 50% cost-share funding to a max of $25,000 per registered commercial beekeeper.
OSCIA – Honey Bee Health Initiative
Eligible Applicants
Eligible Applicants must:
- Have 10 or more colonies registered with the Provincial Apiarist for the current beekeeping season;
- Have completed a pest management course related to honey bees, specific to Ontario, from a recognized institution within the last two years or have completed a diploma or degree in beekeeping from a recognized institution within the last five years; and
- Be in compliance with all requirements of the law and must remain in compliance for the duration of the project; Applicants must be compliant with the Bees Act and Regulation 57 during the current and previous beekeeping season, including but not limited to, beekeeper and yard registration, reporting pests and disease, permits, location of honey bee colonies, no exposed honeycomb, or no referrals for further compliance action.
OSCIA – Honey Bee Health Initiative
Eligible Activities
Eligible Activities include:
- Costs for hive health management practices:
- Baseline lab testing for disease;
- Testing for determining varroa mite resistance to registered treatments;
- Field testing for hygienic behaviour; and
- Purchase of new beekeeping equipment or modifications to existing hive management systems (ex. winter wraps, indoor and queen banking overwintering facilities).
- New construction or modifications to a honey house, including new equipment (doors etc.) to make the honey house bee tight, improve biosecurity, improve cleaning and disinfectant practices and prevent robbing.
- Installing pest control devices or deterrents (ex. small hive beetle traps).
- New construction of or modifications of freezing facilities.
- Honey extraction equipment to improve timing of extraction and storage of honey supers.
- Establishing disease resistant, healthy honey bee colonies by purchasing disease-free honey bee stock.
OSCIA – Honey Bee Health Initiative
Program Deadline
Speak with a member of our team about current intakes for this program and other programs your business may be eligible for.
Apply for Funding
We provide an average 95% time savings to our clients, compared to businesses that apply for funding in-house.
