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## VILLAGE OF WARNER BYLAW 660-26
## A BYLAW OF THE VILLAGE OF WARNER IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, TO REGULATE URBAN BEEKEEPING
PURSUANT Section 7(a) of the Municipal Government Act, RSA 2000, c M-26 a Council may pass bylaws for municipal purposes respecting the safety, health and welfare of people and the protection of people and property;
WHEREAS pursuant to Section 7(h) of the Municipal Government Act, a Council may pass bylaws for municipal purposes respecting wild and domestic animals and activities in relation to them;
Government Act or any other enactment including any or all of the matters listed therein; and
WHEREAS pursuant to Section 8 of the Municipal Government Act, a Council may by Bylaw regulate or prohibit; and provide for a system of licenses, permits or approvals;
NOW THEREFORE pursuant to the authority of the Municipal Government Act, RSA 2000, c M-26, as amended, the Council of the Village of Warner duly assembled, enacts as follows:
## 1. TITLE
1.1. This Bylaw shall be cited as the "Urban Beekeeping Bylaw".
## 2. DEFINTIONS
2.1. In this Bylaw, unless the content otherwise requires:
"Adjoining Neighbour" means an owner or occupant of a property that is contiguous to a Subject Property along a common property line and that is adjacent across a rear lane, but not across a street. If the subject site is located on a corner, an adjoining site includes a site that is adjacent across a rear lane, but not across a street.
"Animal Health Act" means Animal Health Act, SA 2007, C A-40.2, as amended, including the associated regulations.
"Bee" means the insect Apis mellifera L., also known as honey bees.
"Bee Act" means the Bee Act, RSA 2000, cB-2, and any amending or succeeding legislation, and associated regulations.
"Bee Disease" means any disease, pest or parasite designated in the regulations as a bee disease.
"Beekeeper" means a person who owns and possesses bees or beekeeping equipment or both.
"Beekeeping Equipment" means hives, parts of hives and bee containers, that are capable of transmitting bee diseases.
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- "Beekeeping License" means a license issued under this bylaw that authorizes the keeping of Bees in the Village.
"CAO" means the person holding the office of the Chief Administrative Officer of the Village of Warner.
"Designated Officer" means the Chief Administrative Officer, Bylaw Enforcement Officer, RCMP Officer, Peace Officer, and/or Fire Chief of the Village of Warner or their duly authorized assistants.
"Hive" means beehive equipment inhabited by live Bees.
"Municipal Violation Tag" means a notice that alleges a bylaw offence and provides a person with the opportunity to pay an amount to the Village in lieu of prosecution for the offence.
"Premises Identification Number" means a nine-character combination of numbers and letters issued by the Province of Alberta pursuant to the provisions of the Animal Health Act to owners of livestock.
- "Provincial Apiculturist" means the individual designated as the Provincial Apiculturist in accordance with the Bee Act.
"Subject Property" means a lot or parcel of land in respect of which a Bee Licence is sought or has been issued.
"Super" means a Bee Hive box which holds frames used for brood rearing or storing honey.
"Village" means the Village of Warner.
- "Violation Ticket" has the same meaning as in the Provincial Offence Procedure Act.
## 3. PURPOSE
- 3.1. The purpose of this Bylaw is to establish a licensing program to permit, regulate and control the keeping of Urban Bees within the Village on properties as per the Village of Warner Land Use Bylaw namely Residential, Residential Manufactured Home and Transitional Agriculture Districts.
## 4. URBAN BEEKEEPING GENERAL REGULATIONS
- 4.1. An Urban Beekeeping Licence is required in the Village of Warner.
- 4.2. Beekeeping in public parks operated by the Village is not permitted.
- 4.3. Urban beekeeping for the purposes of this Bylaw is for personal use only.
- 4.4 In the Village, no Person shall:
- 4.4.1 own or keep Bees unless properly licensed in accordance with this Bylaw.
- 4.4.2 allow or permit any person to keep Bees until the person has obtained a licence in accordance with this Bylaw.
- 4.4.3 keep Bees where a previous Beekeeping Licence issued pursuant to this Bylaw has expired until such licence has been renewed.
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## 5. URBAN BEEKEEPING LICENCE
- 5.1 An Urban Beekeeping Licence will only be issued to an individual of eighteen (18) years of age and older.
- 5.2 The licence shall be valid for one (1) year following the calendar year January to December.
- 5.3 Licences are non-transferable from one person to another or from one property to another.
- 5.4 The Village shall have the authority in its sole discretion to determine the number of Bee Licenses to issue annually, and may issue a limited number of licenses to applicants.
- 5.5 A licensee having held a Beekeeping Licence in the previous year may, at the discretion of the Designated Officer, apply to renew their licence by paying the fee as described in the Rates Bylaw.
- 5.5 The Designated Officer may refuse to issue an Urban Beekeeping Licence or may revoke an Urban Beekeeping Licence, if in their opinion there are just and reasonable to do so, this includes but not limited to the following reasons:
- 5.5.1 an applicant for, or holder of, a Beekeeping Licence does not meet or has ceased to meet the requirements of this Bylaw;
- 5.5.2 an applicant has submitted false information;
- 5.5.3 an applicant for, or holder of, a Beekeeping Licence has outstanding unpaid fines this Bylaw;
- 5.5.4 an applicant for, or holder of, a Beekeeping Licence has received complaints and/or concerns from any person including but not limited to their adjoining neighbours which the Village determines to be valid and substantive concerns that has not been resolved;
- 5.5.5 in the opinion of the Village, it is in the public interest to refuse to issue, renew, or revoke a Beekeeping Licence.
- 5.6 The Designated Officer may refuse to issue an Urban Beekeeping Licence or may revoke an Urban Beekeeping Licence by providing written notice to the applicant or licensee.
- 5.7 Should a Designated Officer find a site, hive or beekeeper to be unsuitable at any time, the permission may be revoked and the site owner shall work with the Designated Officer to relocate the hive and bees to a location outside the Village of Warner. All costs and associated expenditures related to the removal are the sole responsibility of the site or property owner.
- 5.8 This Bylaw does not exempt a person from complying with the Federal or Provincial laws or regulations, other Village Bylaws, or any lawful permit, order, or license.
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## 6. URBAN BEEKEEPING APPLICATION
- 6.1. A Licence shall be granted upon receipt of the following, to the satisfaction of the Designated Officer:
- 6.1.1. proof that the applicant is a natural person aged 18 years or older;
- 6.1.2. a completed Urban Beekeeping Licence application form, found in Schedule A;
- 6.1.3. the appropriate licence fee prescribed in the Rates Bylaw;
- 6.1.4. written permission from the registered property owner to install Hives on the property, where the Beekeeper is not the registered property owner;
- 6.1.5. proof of success (certificate) in urban beekeeping training from an accepted organization or association;
- 6.1.6. proof of support and assistance from a qualified mentor for the first year of beekeeping;
- 6.1.7. a copy of a disease and swarm control plan;
- 6.1.8. a site plan or drawing that shows the Hive location on the property, and associated setbacks;
- 6.1.9. proof of registration with the Provincial Apiculturist every year by June 30;
- 6.1.10. a copy of the Premises Identification Number (Pill) pursuant to the Animal Health Act;
- 6.1.11. proof of liability insurance of not less than one million Canadian Dollars ($1,000,000).
- 6.1.12. submission of written approval from fifty-one (51%) of adjoining neighbours to install hives on the property.
- 6.1.13. any other additional information required by the Designated Officer, including, but not limited to:
- 6.1.13.1. the name, address, and contact information of the Beekeeper;
- 6.1.13.2. a copy of a Certificate of Title for the Subject Property issued by the Land Title Office no more than two weeks prior to the date of application.
## 7. RESPONSBILITY OF THE URBAN BEEKEEPER
- 7.1. Beekeepers must comply with the Bee Act and the Animal Health Act.
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## 7.2. Beekeepers must ensure:
- 7.2.1. good husbandry practices and maintenance to prevent swarming, aggressive behaviour, and disease;
- 7.2.2. that adequate water is provided at all times for the Bees to deter the Bees from seeking water from alternate source;
- 7.2.3. that the Village is notified of any unusual bee behaviours such as swarming, signs of disease or any unusual situation; and
- 7.2.4. that the area around the beehive is kept free of hive scraping or other debris to minimize the likelihood of attracting other bees, wasps or other unwanted visitors.
- 7.3 Beekeepers must carry liability insurance (valued at not less than $1,000,000 Canadian dollars) to cover accidents related to bees and their beekeeping activities.
- 7.4 Bees must be obtained from reliable source.
- 7.5 Beekeepers must designate someone to monitor the beehive if they will be away for more than one week. It is recommended that a designated person visit and monitor the beehive and the property at least once a week.
## 8. BEEHIVE REQUIREMENTS
- 8.1. A Bee Licence may authorize a person to keep maximum of two (2) beehives subject to the following conditions:
- 8.1.1 The beehive must have a bottom board and a hive top cover. The Hive must not measure more 127 cm (50") × 51 cm (20 ")x 51 cm (20").
- 8.1.2 Beehives are restricted to the rear yard of a property.
- 8.1.3 Beehive must be placed at least three (3) metres away from all adjoining property lines unless neighbouring properties are separated by a solid fence or hedge at least two (2) metres high.
- 8.1.4 Beehives must be a minimum of three (3) metres from all public rights-of-way (lanes, pedestrian pathways, sidewalks, etc.) or private roads and within a rear yard enclosed by a solid fence or hedge a minimum of 1.8 metres (6 feet) in height
- 8.1.5 Beehives must be located at least twenty-five (25) metres away from public places including schools, playgrounds, and sports fields.
- 8.1.6 Beehive entrances shall be directed away from adjoining properties and the Beehive must be situated at 2 metres in height to encourage bees to fly upward as soon as they exit the hive.
## ENFORCEMENT
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- 9.1. A person who contravenes any provision of the Bylaw is guilty of offence.
- 9.2. A person who is guilty of an offence under any section of this Bylaw is liable to the penalty specified in the Rates Bylaw.
- 9.3. At any time, the Designated Officer or a Designated Officer may enter upon any Subject Property to inspect for compliance with this bylaw.
- 9.4. Should the Bee site and hives, or Beekeeper be found to be non-compliant with this Bylaw at any time, enforcement action may be taken including but not limited to:
- 9.4.1. issuing a Municipal Violation Tag or Violation Ticket;
- 9.4.2. revocation of a Beekeeping Licence; or
- 9.4.3. issuance of a Stop Order under Section 645 of the Municipal Government Act;
## 10. EFFECTIVE DATE
- 10.1. This bylaw shall come into full force and effect immediately upon the date of its final passing thereof.
Read a first time this 20t day of May 2026 Read a second time this 17" day of June 2026 Read for a third and final time this 17 day of June 2026
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Mayo Mosay
Hilly layed
Chief Administrative Officer
SIGNED by the Chief Elected Official and the Chief Administrative Officer this 17# day of June 2026
## Schedule A: Urban Beekeeping Licence Application Form
An Urban Beekeeping License is required for Beekeeping in the Village of Warner. Please complete the following form and submit the application with the supporting documentation. The Urban Beekeeping License is valid for the calendar year following the date of issuance.
## 1. Applicant Contact Information
Name:
Civic Address:
Mailing Address:
Phone Number:
Email Address:
As the applicant, I affirm that:
- [ ] I am 18 years of age or older.
- [ ] - 1am the registered property owner.
- [ ] I have permission from the registered property owner to apply to keep bees on the property (attach written consent from the property owner).
## 2. Site Information
Location/Address of the Hive(s): \_ \_ Number of Hives:
Please provide a drawing that shows the Hive(s) location on the property, and associated setbacks if there is no fence and/or the property is adjacent to a pedestrian walkway.
- [ ] a. Do you have a fence surrounding the rear property?
- [ ] b. Are the hive(s) located 3 metres away from all property lines? - If answered "no" to 2b, the application will be refused
- [ ] c. Is your property located adjacent to a pedestrian walkway? -
## 3. Disease and Swarm Control Plan
- [ ] - I have a disease and swarm control plan. (attach copy of plan).
## 4. Provincial Registration
- [ ] - I have registered the bees with the Provincial Apiculturist (attach proof of registration).
- [ ] I have a Premises Identification Number (Pill) pursuant to the Animal Health Act. (attach proof of Premises Identification Number).
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5. Training Requirements
- [ ] - 1, the applicant, have successfully completed urban beekeeping training. (attach a copy of the course certificate)
6. Mentor Requirements
- [ ] - I, the applicant, have proof of support and assistance from a qualified mentor for the first year of beekeeping
(attach a copy of the mentor support information)
7. Insurance Requirements
- [ ] - I, the applicant, have liability insurance of not less than one million Canadian Dollars
- [ ] ($1,000,000). (attach a copy of the insurance policy)
8. Neighbour Consent
- [ ] - I, the applicant, have successfully received consent from 51% of neighbouring properties. (attach a copy of the completed consent forms)
9. Licence Fee
The Urban Beekeeping Licence fee is $XXXXX, as per the Village of Warner's Rates Bylaw. The fee is required to be paid at the time of application.
Signature of Applicant
Date
Signature of Designated Officer
Date
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## Schedule B: Urban Beekeeping Neighbour Consent Form
## Neighbour Consent For
Your neighbour at \_would like to apply to participate in Urban Beekeeping in the Village of Warner. The applicant must receive consent from 51% of their adjacent neighbours to continue with the application process.
The program places significant requirements on Urban Beekeeping applicants to ensure the wellbeing of the bees. in addition to your consent, there are number of requirements on my licence and are as follows:
- Two (2) beehives are allowed.
- Beehives must be placed at least three (3) metres away from all adjoining property ines unless neighbouring properties are separated by a solid fence or hedge at least two (2) metres high.
- Beehives are restricted to the rear yard of a property.
- Hives must include a bottom board and hive cover.
- Beehive entrances shall be directed away from adjoining properties and the Beehive must be situated at 2 metres in height to encourage bees to fly upward as soon as they exit the hive.
- Each site owner must complete an Urban Beekeeping training course from an accepted or recognized organization.
Do not sign this form if you are NOT giving consent to the issuance of an Urban Beekeeping Licence. By signing this form, you are providing written consent for the issuance of the licence.
I verify that I am the adjacent property owner or am authorized to give this consent on behalf of the adjacent property owner. I hereby give my permission for Urban Bees to be kept at this property.
Printed name:
My Street and Mailing Address:
My phone number(s): (daytime).
My Email Address:
\_\_ (Other).
Signature
Date
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