In the decade since MacEwan University installed its first four hives on the roof of Building 5, the insects have found a sweet spot in the hearts and minds of students, faculty and staff.
Today (April 21), the Urban Beekeeping Project, housed within MacEwan Sustainability, has doubled its hive count - and honey production.
"Last year, we had a record amount of honey - over 70 kilograms," says Troy Donovan, MacEwan's certified beekeeper (and full-time senior analyst with IT security) who has been with the project since day one. "The most rewarding part for me is the honey production and the stories it allows us to tell about the connection to pollination and food security."
The story continues on April 22, with the annual "unwrapping" of the hives and a kickoff for the 2026 season, which will see eight volunteers fill two weekly shifts on the roof to suit up, inspect the hives, help the bees (when needed) and, eventually, collect some honey.
Take a look through this gallery of photos from the past 10 years.
There was a lot of buzz when the Urban Beekeeping Project launched in 2016.
During the 2016 season, the bees produced over 35 kilograms of honey, which was jarred and then sold at the MacEwan Bookstore.
In January 2017, people lined up to buy MacEwan honey for the first time. All 35 kilograms were sold within 23 minutes.
The bees make regular appearances in our popular "year in photos" story. While taking a photo like this in 2018, MacEwan's photographer (who now regrets declining the offer of a beekeeping suit) got a little too close. A bee got stuck in his hair and stung him on the face. He said it was still a great day, though - the sun was in exactly the right spot for photos.
Bees swarm MacEwan's beekeepers in 2019, during the annual spring unwrapping of the hives. The beekeeping volunteer program has grown and formalized over the years. Today, two teams of three volunteers (and two reserve volunteers who round out the team of eight) join Donovan on the roof each week to suit up, inspect the hives, check on the queen and eggs, and harvest honey. Student volunteers also get formal recognition of their contributions through the Student Experience Record.
One of those volunteers was Amelia Altmiks, Bachelor of Arts '23, pictured on the left, who volunteered as a beekeeper for five years before graduating.
In September 2022, Towers Pub began serving Griffins Beer. Each pint lives up to its unmistakably honey-flavoured description, thanks to the hard work of MacEwan bees. A few local brewers have brewed the blond ale over the years. The 2025 collaboration was with Alley Kat Brewing Company, Edmonton's oldest craft brewery. A portion of the profit from every glass sold goes toward student awards. Cheers!
Interested in a bee sighting? The roses and ornamental apple trees in Heather's Garden outside Building 5 are a great spot to look. So is the community garden outside Building 8 (they love the lavender, as you can see from the photo above) and also the flowers planted by the grounds crew across campus.
Over the years, the bees - and their honey and wax - have also made their way into media stories, chemistry labs, ancient alcohol experiments, small batches of candles and other products made by business students, and even a student research journal.
- 610 solar panels installed on Buildings 6 and 7 will generate two per cent of the university's annual power consumption, reducing electricity costs by more than $26,000.
- 8.6 per cent of MacEwan's course offerings are sustainability-focused or include sustainability content. The School of Business and the Faculty of Arts and Science led the way with 378 and 342 sustainability-related courses, respectively.
- MacEwan achieved 75 per cent waste diversion through the introduction of composting and four-stream waste bins.
- 71 per cent of construction and demolition materials were recycled, donated or recovered.
- Volunteers are at the heart of MacEwan Sustainability's efforts. More than 100 volunteers contribute to Urban Beekeeping, Tower Gardens and Community Gardens projects.
