Today we’re celebrating World Bee Day, this will open in a new tab and the vital role these tiny, but mighty workers play in our lives, the environment and local agriculture.

Honey bees are responsible for pollinating one-third of everything we put onto our plates­, and in Canada, it is estimated that their pollination efforts contribute a harvest value of $4B to $5.5B. With the steady decline of these key pollinators, coupled with a growing demand for agriculture, Canadians are seeing a rise in food prices according to a 2017 study by Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada. 

At CF, we recognize the importance of contributing to our communities through social connection, economic impact, health and well-being, and caring for our people, partners and planet. Through Urban Beekeeping, we’re tackling these core themes head on. 

For the past five years, CF has been passionate about offsetting the declining bee population, and playing a more significant role in their conservation. In 2017, we introduced our first Urban Beekeeping pilot at La Tour Deloitte in Montreal, which saw 20,000 bees take up residence in two rooftop hives. Our hope was that the colony would pollinate flora and fauna from Griffintown to Mount Royal Park.

''Working with Alvéole at Tour Deloitte is a great example of how a local project has led to national partnership between two organizations dedicated to sustainability and engagement. Through the preservation of honeybees on our rooftop, we've not only been able to organize honey extraction workshops with our tenants, but also provide them CF branded honey jar holiday presents!'' - Dhan Balbahadur, General Manager, Tour Deloitte 

Today, we’re proud to have grown our program significantly with the adoption of approximately 1.2 million bees (during peak season) across 24 honey hives in partnership with Alvéole! Here’s where our hives are located:

Vancouver

• Waterfront Properties

• CF Pacific CentreCF Richmond Centre

Calgary

• Calgary City Centre

• CF Market Mall

Toronto

• RBC Centre

• Yonge Corporate Centre

• CF Toronto Eaton Centre

• TD Centre (coming soon)

Montréal

• CF Carrefour Laval

• CF Promenades St-BrunoTour Deloitte

A Gift for the Environment, Our People and our Clients

What once began as a response to the declining bee population, Urban Beekeeping has since grown into so much more for CF.

It has been a rewarding experience to watch our people connect with nature, grow their passion for the environment, and step into the role of amateur beekeepers. It’s also been a great way for us to engage with our clients and bring joy through education. The annual honey harvest is an added bonus with our properties often gifting jars of CF honey to valued clients over the holidays.

We’re so proud to play a role in bee conservation, and we look forward to continuing to make a positive impact in communities that we serve, for a better today and tomorrow.  

Learn more about Responsibility at CF here, and follow us on our journey on Instagram, this will open in a new tab.