Beekeepers call for import ban on non-North American bees as deadly mite spreads

Canadian beekeepers are sounding the alarm about a pest that’s spreading in parts of Asia, and calling on the federal government to take action.

A group representing the Canadian Beekeepers Federation and the Alberta Beekeepers Commission was on Parliament Hill today as part of a lobbying effort.

They’re alarmed by the spread of the tropilaelaps mite, a parasite that can be devastating to pollinators.

According to the Canadian Cattleman’s Association, the mite’s spread would not only devastate beekeepers but also agriculture more broadly because honey bees are critical pollinators of many crops.

The president of the Alberta Beekeepers Commission says Canada should halt all imports of bees from outside North America to prevent the pest from spreading here.

Honeybees are not native to Canada and they struggle to survive the winter, so bee imports are critical to the industry’s survival.

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Alberta Conservative MP Arnold Viersen says he also wants imports from the United States to resume — something Canada has banned for years because of other pests.

With files from Global News.

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