Step onto the rooftop of a Concert Properties building, and you might spot something unexpected: a beehive—part of a thriving network that’s helping reconnect people with nature. This World Bee Day, we’re celebrating these small but mighty changemakers and how they are building community and supporting biodiversity.
In partnership with urban beekeeping company Alvéole, Concert Properties supports 10 active hives across nine residential and commercial properties in British Columbia and Ontario. These hives are home to more than 500,000 honeybees—tiny but powerful pollinators playing a critical role in supporting urban ecosystems.
“Bees are responsible for 75% of flowering plant reproduction,” explains Jo Bérubé, Customer Service Specialist at Alvéole. “That means more food, more plant variety and healthier, more balanced ecosystems.”
Each year, our hives support the pollination of more than 1,185 square kilometres of land. The bees produce an estimated 150 kilograms of honey, which is jarred and shared with tenants and residents.
“The honey is a hyperlocal souvenir of your sustainability efforts and what nature can accomplish, even in the middle of a city,” says Noemie Turcotte, Chief Marketing Officer at Alvéole. “And when people see a beehive at their building, it sparks curiosity, questions and connection. That’s where the real engagement starts.”
Concert Properties’ beekeeping initiative began in 2013 as a pilot project developed by its sustainability and property management teams. Since then, it has grown into a long-standing partnership with Alvéole, one that combines environmental stewardship with meaningful tenant and resident engagement.
“Our tenants and residents across Canada love the bees,” says Grant Knowles, Vice President, Property Management at Concert Properties. “Whether it’s on a rooftop in Vancouver or at a commercial tower in Toronto, the response is always enthusiastic. The hives generate curiosity and community, and the workshops are a real hit.”
Those seasonal workshops, led by Alvéole’s professional beekeepers, give residents and tenants the opportunity to learn more about the life of a bee, how honey is harvested and how they can support pollinators. Some workshops even include candle making or hands-on harvesting activities. Each property also receives a custom MyHive page—an online dashboard where people can follow their hive’s journey with photos, health updates and fun facts.
“Our hives are both habitat and classroom,” says Turcotte. “Some people come in a little nervous or frightened by the bees, but once they learn more and see the bees up close, they fall in love with them. That connection to nature, right where they live or work, is powerful.”
At a time when green space is limited and biodiversity is under pressure, rooftop hives are a small but important way to bring nature back into the city, pollinating, educating and inspiring action.
As Knowles puts it, even a single hive can make a difference; it’s a small gesture with a big impact.
Explore Our Hive Network
Want to see what the bees are up to? Each Concert hive has its own MyHive page:
Ontario
- 201 County Court Blvd, Brampton – MyHive Page
- 570 Bay Street, Toronto – MyHive Page
- 167 Church Street, Toronto – MyHive Page
- 132 Berkeley Street, Toronto – MyHive Page
- 20 Wellington Street East, Toronto – MyHive Page
- 6750 Century Avenue, Mississauga – MyHive Page
- 2476 Argentia Road, Mississauga – MyHive Page
British Columbia
- 1190 Hornby Street, Vancouver – MyHive Page
- 3528 Vanness Avenue, Vancouver (The Remington) – MyHive Page
This World Bee Day, consider taking small steps to support pollinators—plant nectar-rich flowers like dandelions, avoid pesticides, support local honey producers or share what you’ve learned. It all makes a difference.