To bee, or not to bee, that is the problem: managing wild bee decline in Canadian agriculture

The decline of bees is a phenomenon that has been observed in various regions including Europe and North America. While the decline of Canadian honeybees, a non-native species managed for commercial purposes, receives much attention, the same cannot be said for Canadian wild bees. Existing evidence indicates that large-scale agricultural practices contribute to wild bee decline through habitat degradation, pesticide usage, and removal of food sources. Pollinator-friendly agricultural practices have been identified that could mitigate the decline of wild bees. However, these practices may require additional resources that Canadian farmers cannot afford such as time, money, and available land. Hence, the choice to implement sustainable techniques requires farmers to negotiate the conflict between conservation and profit. This research examines two policy approaches that could be adopted to promote behavioural change among farmers to mitigate wild bee decline – the roles of incentives and regulations.