The Ontario government has launched a new plan aimed at protecting pollinators.
The province says the Pollinator Health Action Plan will help keep the ag sector productive and sustainable while supporting a healthy environment.
Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Jeff Leal says the plan has been created to ensure a sustainable local food supply with resilient natural habitats.
He notes the plan is built on changes already being incorporated by the ag sector to improve pollinator health.
Steps in the plan include additional support for pollinator health research, the restoration and protection of one million acres of pollinator habitats, and the collection of more data on environmental neonic levels.
A year and a half ago, Ontario became the first jurisdiction in the continent to implement pollinator protection rules with the goal of reducing neonic-treated corn and soybeans by 80 per cent by 2017.
