The City of Calgary is fortunate to have two Bee Boulevards within the city limits in Coventry Hills and Canyon Meadows.

The Canyon Meadows Bee Boulevard was established in 2017 to create habitat for pollinators with the added benefit of reduced green space maintenance. This project was a collaborative effort among the City of Calgary Roads and Parks departments, Mount Royal University, the University of Calgary and the David Suzuki Foundation.

The Canyon Meadows Bee Boulevard is located along Canyon Meadows Drive from Macleod Trail to Bow Bottom Trail S.E.

This specialized corridor contains native shrubs, grasses and flowers that are salt tolerant, drought resistant, and attractive to native pollinators. There are several enhancements that create habitat appealing to pollinators, including a sand bed for ground-nesting bees, bumble bee houses, an interactive leaf-cutter bee display and specialized areas for cavity-nesting bees.

In 2018, University of Calgary researchers identified two Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bees within the parkland area of the site. The Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee is classified as Endangered, Schedule 1, on the Species At Risk Act

The Canyon Meadows Bee Boulevard is a great example of how collaboration, community involvement and leveraging of resources can result in a successful naturalization project that benefits the community.

Celebrate Pollinator Week June 21-27 by visiting the main flower bed at the Bee Boulevard and strolling the pathway to view more native plantings, enjoying the beauty and benefits of naturalization, and learning about native bees in Calgary’s own backyard.