Councillor Janelle Charlie, Mayor Ken Boshcoff, Lindsay Zylstra, Philip Ducharme, Councillor Desiree Morriseau-Shields, Michael Pelletier Jr, Brian Ludwigsen and Councillor Yvette Greenwald gather on Fort William First Nation to celebrate the recipients of the Hydro One Indigenous Entrepreneurship Grant.

Beezer’s Honey in Dryden and Maamigin Environmental & Relations Inc. in Fort William First Nation have each received a $7,500 grant to expand operations.

The money comes from the Indigenous Entrepreneurship Grant from Hydro One and Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business.

Reagan Breeze of Beezer’s Honey says the grant is very beneficial.

“Help expand the honeybee business and also be able to bring out that educational component that lacks with a lot of people on the importance of how our honeybees and our pollinators are to sustain.”

Breeze adds the grant will help him spread the word on the important role honeybees play in our bio-diverse eco-system.

“Their beautiful in every way, shape, or form and there are so many things that are amazing about our pollinators and honeybees and it’s a carbon free imprint. So it’s amazing in every aspect.”

He believes honeybees will play an even more important role moving forward as he predicts a looming food crisis.

A total of 28 recipients received funding in Ontario.

Reagan has been in the beekeeping business for over 20 years and he developed the Junior Beekeeping course in Dryden and Kenora over the pandemic to help teach kids the roll honeybees play in our society.

He plans to expand his work in 2023 to putting honeybees within community gardens in Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and Eagle Lake First Nation.

To hear more from Reagan Breeze visit the Audio link below: