New Brunswick government installs rooftop beehives on World Bee Day

The New Brunswick government announces the installation of beehives on the roof of the Departmental Building in Fredericton on May 20, 2025. (New Brunswick government)

The New Brunswick government has announced the installation of beehives on the roof of the Departmental Building in Fredericton.

In honour of World Bee Day, Health Minister John Dornan and Francine Landry, speaker of the legislature, announced the initiative. Dornan offered two of his own hives to promote pollination on the grounds of the legislative assembly.

The initiative aims to pollinate flowers, plants and crops in the area, and the harvested honey will be used to promote New Brunswick.

Around 50,000 bees live in the hives; in the fall, the honey produced will be bottled and labelled as ‘Speaker’s Honey.’ The honey will be offered as gifts to dignitaries and ambassadors who visit legislative assembly, as well as to food banks and charitable organizations, the news release said.

Starting in June, visitors will be able to see the activity in the hives through a kiosk at the entrance of the assembly building.

“While our hard-working bees are busy filling their hives with parliamentary honey, we wish them a fruitful pollination season and wish New Brunswickers a summer that is just as productive,” Landry said.

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