The City of Moose Jaw is looking into making changes to their proposed policy around beekeeping in the friendly city.

The Apiaries Act, 2005 is provincial legislation governing beekeeping in the province. The Act says those who want to keep beehives must be registered at the provincial level and it is the province’s responsibility the inspect and enforce standards. The city is hoping to add some of their own guidelines and governance that beekeepers in Moose Jaw will have to follow.

Limiting the number of hives on a given property, requiring a barrier - such as a fence or a hedge - between a hive and neighbouring property, managing water so bees don't fly to neighbouring properties looking for some, as well as registering at a municipal level were all suggested as changes to the proposed policy.

Councillor Crystal Froese.

"I think this is good to be able to have people register, provided that they present their provincial certificate so that we know that they've actually registered with the province because that's what we don't know. It would also help us understand how many hives are in our city, I think that's also good knowledge for our council."

Director of Planning & Development, Michelle Sanson, said hives already set up would be grandfathered in, but new ones would have to be set up in accordance to the new registration.

"Any new ones would definitely have to comply with the requirements within this policy, but at least we would know where they are. We don't know where they are right now, we don't have a list of where the actual beehives are within our city. We believe in talking to the province that there are nine in the city right now, but we do not know where."

Saskatchewan is home to about 300 native species of bees, most of which are solitary and don't live in hives. None of those species includes honeybees, which are actually are not native to the prairies.

There are still some concerns however about beekeeping in the city. One resident spoke to city council over the summer saying her and her husband have been stung due to their neighbour's hive, and that bees are constantly in her yard looking for free-standing water.

Sanson said that the city receives very few complaints about beekeeping within city limits. Historically the city has only received one complaint and it was addressed through the province and The Apiaries Act.

The motion was tabled so that the suggested changes could be made to the proposed bylaw before it's voted on.