Downtown Winnipeg is picking up some rural hobbies, with the possibility of urban beekeeping now open to people in the downtown core.

This week a City of Winnipeg committee approved a motion to allow beekeeping on rooftops in the downtown, with a number of rules put in place to keep people from being stung by urban bees.

For example, operators will be limited to five hives and are required to have six-foot fences around them. However, if the hives are on a rooftop, a fence is not required.

John Russell, vice president of the Red River Apiarists' Association, says he is very pleased with the decision, as it will provide the opportunity for urban beekeeping as a hobby, an educational tool, and a resource for food security.

"Urban beekeeping is another piece in the solution puzzle of keeping honey bees healthy and active in our agricultural environment," he says. "They are very, very important to our food security. Without the efforts of mass pollinators, our yields decrease — and if you've been grocery shopping lately, you'll notice how expensive food has become. We need all the help we can get to make sure we've got sustainable food supplies for the future, and pollinators are a big part of that."

The city's property and development committee also voted in favour of waiving a $1200 fee in an effort to encourage more people to get involved in beekeeping. The first rooftop hives could be in place by June.