Bee a winner in Barrie’s Pollinator Week photo contest

Barrie's 2025 Pollinator Week photo contest winner Cara Wilson. Mon., June 22, 2026. PHOTO: CARA WILSON

Yay! It’s Pollinator Week. Get your camera ready and grab a good shot: you could win a prize.

Barrie’s Pollinator Week, running from June 22 to 28, is an annual event celebrated across the world in support of pollinator health.

A pollinator is any mammal, bird or insect that transports pollen grains from one flower to another. This includes bees, birds, bats, butterflies, moths, flies, wasps, and beetles.

Pic-a-Pollinator online photo contest: Open until June 28

Barrie residents can submit a photo of a pollinator in action through the Pic-a-Pollinator contest.

It’s easy - take a photo of a pollinator hard at work.

The winner will receive a pollinator prize pack for their garden and will have their photo featured on social media and the city’s website.

Along with the photo contest, residents are invited to participate in two free events associated with Pollinator Week:

• Bee Hotel Maintenance Day at Sunnidale Park, Thursday, June 25, 10 a.m. to noon
• Drop by to see how the Sunnidale Park Bee Hotel – a habitat for native bees – is maintained and learn what you can do to support pollinators at home.

Dunsmore Community Garden Party - Friday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• Explore the new community garden space, learn about the importance of native plants, and discover how we can support local pollinators.

Residents are also encouraged to think about ways they can help protect pollinators during Pollinator Week. Here are some tips to help make your yard more pollinator-friendly:

• Visit the Barrie Native Plant Explorer database to discover native plants in our urban and natural environment and choose the right plant for the right place.
• Plant multiple pollen and nectar-producing native plants that bloom in different seasons to attract a diversity of bees and other pollinators.
• Garden without pesticides.

The City of Barrie has removed the use of cosmetic pesticides from operations and has been active in creating pollinator spaces.