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Manitoba Hydro rooftop now buzzing with new tenants

Bees will now be calling the rooftop of the Manitoba Hydro building home in Winnipeg. File / Paul Chiasson / The Canadian Press

WINNIPEG — A buzz filled the air on Thursday morning when three hives with 60,000 bees were moved to the third floor roof garden of the Manitoba Hydro building. The bees are part of a project to bring agriculture into an urban setting.

“We feel that they need to have a connection to the natural world,” Chris Kirouac, the local beekeeper, stated in an interview when asked about the importance of the urban beehives.

READ MORE: Honey, hives and highrises: Why urban beekeeping is trending in Canada

“And bring a bit of that agriculture, learning how our food structures work into the city so it’s a great way to engage with people.”

The building’s employees will have the chance to observe the bees working and to also purchase the honey once produced.

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“People can watch what the bees are up to, they can see and harvest the better fruits and vegetables they’re getting from their gardens and they can taste the honey, which is another thing that the bees are producing for us. So the bees are, it’s beautiful what they do for people.”

READ MORE: The Forks launches first urban bee project

Urban beehives have already been placed in various locations around the city including The Fairmont, the Forks and the University of Winnipeg.

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