The Sunshine City is now, officially, a Bee City.
On Monday night, prior to the regular meeting of city council at the Orillia City Centre, Shelly Candel, the director and founder of Bee City Canada, presented the municipality with its official Bee City designation.
"It's a real honour and privilege to be here," said Candel, who thanked the city "for taking on the commitment" to becoming a bee city.
Candel noted there are three "pillars" that serve as the foundation for the designation.
She said the first revolves around creating healthy pollinator habitat around the city.
The second focuses on education of residents on the importance of pollinators and "what everyone can do to protect them."
The third is centred around celebration. The third week of June is National Pollinator Week - an event that Candel hopes will become more of a civic event in years to come.
She noted, however, that to recognize the important week, Jeannine Hutty, who championed the effort to bring the designation to Orillia, was at the Orillia Farmers' Market last weekend to share her knowledge and promote the idea.
Orillia Mayor Steve Clarke, who accepted the official certificate along with other gifts, said the Bee City designation is important.
"It really has been creating a buzz," quipped Clarke. "But in all seriousness, I think I've been approached as much on this issue as I've been approached on any other issue the last little while, so that's terrific."
After accepting the certificate, Candel pinned a hand-made, felt bee on each of the politicians in thanks for their support of the initiative.
