Ontario Apiary Program
Learn about the Ontario Apiary Program and find contact information for apiary inspectors, the Provincial Apiarist and more.
About the Apiary Program
The Apiary Program, administered by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), is responsible for the oversight and administration of the Ontario Bees Act.
Through its administration of the Act, the Apiary Program:
- conducts regulatory inspections
- monitors for pest and disease
- issues beekeeper registrations and permits for sales and imports of live bees
Beyond regulatory responsibilities, the program plays an important role in knowledge and technology transfer, such as publishing Best Management Practices and information for beekeepers and the apiculture industry on honey bee health, pests and diseases.
Program specialists also participate on collaborative working groups to address honey bee health concerns within Ontario, Canada and North America.
Managed honey bees are valuable pollinators, playing a crucial role in Ontario’s agricultural sector. The Apiary Program works closely with its regulated clients to support the viability of Ontario's managed honey bee sector. The Apiary Program serves anywhere from 2,500 to 3,500 registered beekeeper clients.
Visit our Apiculture home page to find information about honey bee health and beekeeping in Ontario, including regulations, registration, permits and resources.
Contact the Apiary Program
Contact the Apiary Program if you have questions about registration, permits or bee health.
For general inquiries, email apiary@ontario.ca.
For registration-related inquiries, email beekeeperregistration@ontario.ca.
Fax:
Mail:
Apiary Program
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Animal Health and Welfare Branch
1 Stone Road West, 5th Floor NW
Guelph, ON N1G 4Y2
Apiary inspectors
Apiary inspectors are appointed under the Bees Act. Their regulatory duties include:
- inspecting honey bee colonies and/or equipment
- responding to complaints
- conducting compliance actions
- issuing Selling Permits to beekeepers
Here is a list of appointed Apiary Inspectors by area.
| Region | Area/county serviced | Inspector name | Email address | Phone number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern | Chatham-Kent, Elgin, Essex Middlesex, Lambton | Gillian Leitch | gillian.leitch@ontario.ca |
|
| Oxford | Gillian Leitch Kelsey Ducsharm | gillian.leitch@ontario.ca kelsey.ducsharm2@ontario.ca | ||
| Norfolk, Brant | Kristina Greer Gillian Leitch | kristina.greer@ontario.ca gillian.leitch@ontario.ca | ||
| Haldimand, Hamilton, Niagara | Kristina Greer Patrick Arteaga | kristina.greer@ontario.ca patrick.arteaga@ontario.ca | ||
| Halton | Patrick Arteaga Kelsey Ducsharm Kristina Greer | patrick.arteaga@ontario.ca kelsey.ducsharm2@ontario.ca kristina.greer@ontario.ca | ||
| Perth | Murray Fear Carolyn Fear Kelsey Ducsharm Gillian Leitch | murray.fear@ontario.ca carolyn.fear@ontario.ca kelsey.ducsharm2@ontario.ca gillian.leitch@ontario.ca | ||
| Waterloo, Wellington | Kelsey Ducsharm Murray Fear Carolyn Fear | kelsey.ducsharm2@ontario.ca murray.fear@ontario.ca carolyn.fear@ontario.ca | ||
| Bruce, Grey, Huron | Murray Fear Carolyn Fear | murray.fear@ontario.ca carolyn.fear@ontario.ca | ||
| Southwestern and GTA | Dufferin, Peel, Toronto | Kelsey Ducsharm Patrick Arteaga | kelsey.ducsharm2@ontario.ca patrick.arteaga@ontario.ca | |
| Central and GTA | York, Simcoe | Mike Perrin Brenda Perrin Adam Bayard Patrick Arteaga | mike.perrin@ontario.ca brenda.perrin@ontario.ca adam.bayard@ontario.ca patrick.arteaga@ontario.ca | |
| Central and GTA | Durham, Haliburton, Hastings, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, Peterborough, Prince Edward | Mike Perrin Brenda Perrin Adam Bayard | mike.perrin@ontario.ca brenda.perrin@ontario.ca adam.bayard@ontario.ca | |
| Eastern | Frontenac, Lanark, Leeds and Grenville, Lennox/ Addington, Ottawa, Prescott and Russell, Renfrew, The United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry | Faye Bryers | faye.bryers@ontario.ca |
|
| North central and northwestern | Algoma, Greater Sudbury, Manitoulin, Muskoka, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Sudbury, Timiskaming | Tim Greer Kristina Greer | timothy.greer@ontario.ca kristina.greer@ontario.ca | |
| Cochrane | Tim Greer | timothy.greer@ontario.ca |
| |
| Kenora, Rainy River, Thunder Bay | Tim Greer | timothy.greer@ontario.ca |
|
Provincial Apiarist
The Provincial Apiarist is appointed under the Bees Act. In addition to having all the powers of an inspector, the Provincial Apiarist is responsible for:
- issuing Queen and Nuc and Import Permits to beekeepers
- overseeing honey bee health and disease issues by working collaboratively with the industry, researchers and other specialists on strategies for bee health in Ontario
Email the Provincial Apiarist at paul.kozak@ontario.ca.
Contact us
Contact the Agricultural Information Contact Center (AICC) by phone at
The AICC is the primary contact for:
- suspected northern giant hornet sightings in Ontario
- suspected in-season acute mortality incidents
- general farm, agri-business and rural business inquiries