The University of Guelph said it has raised almost half the $12 million it needs for its plans to become North America’s leading bee research centre.
The university said “a recent transformational gift from the Riviere Charitable Foundation will cover a substantial portion of the cost. A fundraising campaign has been launched to further support the initiative and raise an additional $6 million."
“The University of Guelph leads the world in honey bee research and conservation,” said university president Franco Vaccarino.
Its honey bee research goes back more than 120 years and “we are uniquely positioned to help make a difference, and this donation recognizes and celebrates our research strength and our innovativeness to find sustainable solutions,” Vaccarino said.
“Our plan is to integrate the new centre within parts of U of G known for nature, food production and sustainability,” said Rene Van Acker, dean of the Ontario Agricultural College.
“Anyone interested in honey bee health and management will be able to come and explore their interests in a state-of-the-art facility,” he said.
World-renowned experts in conservation and bee health hold U of G research chairs – notably the Rebanks Family Chair in Pollinator Conservation and the Pinchin Family Chair in Bee Health – that boost research and awareness of the plight of pollinators.
This includes environmental sciences professor Ernesto Guzman, known globally for his research on bee disease, who holds the Pinchin chair and is director of the Honey Bee Research Centre.
