Introduction

Purpose of this guide

The Ask OMAFRA Beekeeper Portal user guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to:

  • view and access the Beekeeper Portal
  • navigate sections within the Beekeeper Portal

Ask OMAFRA Beekeeper Portal

If you have ever registered as a beekeeper with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ (OMAFRA) Apiary Program, you can obtain access to the Ask OMAFRA Beekeeper Portal (also referred to as the Beekeeper Portal or the Portal). The Beekeeper Portal provides beekeepers with on-demand online access to services and records pertaining to their activity with OMAFRA's Apiary Program.

Once you're logged in, you can:

  • renew your registration
  • apply for Queen and Nuc permits
  • review information from the ministry, including inspection reports

Create a My Ontario account and access the Beekeeper Portal

To access the Beekeeper Portal, you will first need a My Ontario account that includes an email address and password.

My Ontario provides an extra level of security for organizations accessing Ontario Government services. Once you have created your My Ontario account, you’ll use your email and password to log in directly to services that you have enrolled for.

Visit the Beekeeper Portal login page and follow the instructions to create a My Ontario account and activate your profile. Once you have created your account and are logged in you will be directed to the Beekeeper Portal.

Once you have successfully logged into the Beekeeper Portal, you will be directed to the Beekeeper Portal homepage which hosts a welcome message and quick links to key interactive sections within the Portal.

Account set-up number

If this is your first time accessing the Portal, you will also need to enter a one-time account set-up number from OMAFRA to activate your profile. To get this number, or if you require assistance with any other aspect of the Beekeeper Portal, contact:

Support is available Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EST).

Beekeeper registration renewal

Renew your registration

  1. Click on the "Renew My Registration" link on the left-hand navigation bar.
  2. If your account is eligible for registration renewal, the "Renew My Registration" button will be highlighted blue. Registrations can be renewed 60 days prior to expiration or if they have expired.
  3. Click the "Renew My Registration" button to begin a new registration form.
  4. You will be taken to an interactive registration form. Read through the instructions carefully, then press the "Click Here to Begin" button when you are ready.
  5. Each screen will provide you with a subset of questions, similar to the paper version of the registration form. Complete the registration by providing the mandatory information.
    • Mandatory fields are indicated by the word "mandatory".
    • Fields that are grey in colour cannot be edited. Click the "Contact Us" link on the left-hand navigation bar for information on how to contact OMAFRA if you need any of this data updated.
  6. Click the "Next Page" button. If you are missing mandatory information, or have filled in a section with unusable information, you will be prompted to correct it before moving on.
    Note: If you have a draft registration started, you can resume your registration renewal by clicking the "Resume Registration Draft" button.

Save a draft of your application

Information is automatically saved in draft form after you leave each page by clicking "Next Page".

If at any time you wish to leave the form, you can click the "Leave Form" button. Information entered on the previous page will be saved in a draft form.

Review and update bee yard information

In a section of the registration renewal form, you are required to review, update and add new bee yards, if applicable.

On the "Bee Yard Information" page, you will see yards that were registered during your last registration renewal. You can review older yards by clicking the "Display Older Bee Yards" button. You can review new yards added during this registration renewal application or add a new yard by clicking "Display/Add New Bee Yards".

Your list of bee yards will be displayed in a list at the top of your screen. If you think any bee yards are missing, they may be located in a different option/button (for example, older bee yards, new bee yards and last year's bee yards).

Try clicking one of the other filter buttons located above the bee yard list to find them.

To review a bee yard's information:

  1. Ensure the bee yard you wish to review is highlighted in the list at the top of your screen.
  2. Review the information in the form below and update where necessary.
  3. Click the next bee yard in the list that you wish to review. At this time, you will be prompted to enter any missing mandatory information.
  4. Click the next yard in the list that you wish to review and update any details.
  5. Continue this process for all bee yards requiring updates. Review bee yards in the other filter buttons as needed (for example, older bee yards, new bee yards and last year's bee yards).
  6. Click "I have reviewed/updated all my bee yard locations" once all your yards have been added, reviewed and confirmed.

Add a new bee yard

  1. Click the "Display/Add New Bee Yards" button.
  2. Click the "Add Bee Yard" button.
  3. Enter the information for the bee yard. Mandatory fields are indicated with red (mandatory) text.
  4. You may add another yard, review existing yards or move to the next page once all mandatory information is entered.

Note: If you have accidently added a new bee yard, you can remove it by clicking the "Remove Bee Yard" button. Only new bee yards can be removed.

If you are trying to remove a bee yard that was assigned to your account previously, simply change the "Yard Status" to "I no longer own or am in possession of honey bees or used beekeeping equipment".

Submit your registration renewal

Once you have entered all the mandatory information on the registration renewal form, you will be directed to the submission page. Click the confirmation checkbox to confirm you have entered and reviewed your information, then click the "Submit" button. Once you have submitted your registration, it will be sent to OMAFRA for approval and you will receive a confirmation email that your renewal has been submitted.

Upon approval, you will receive another email containing your certificate of registration.

Apply for a Queen and Nuc permit

Beekeepers with an active registration or a submitted registration renewal are eligible to apply for a Queen and Nuc permit through the Beekeeper Portal.

To apply for a permit:

  1. Click on "Apply For A New Permit" on the left-hand navigation bar.
  2. Confirm you are applying for a Queen and Nuc permit.
  3. Click the “Begin Application Process” button.
  4. You will now be directed to the interactive form. Read through the instructions carefully, then press the "Click Here to Begin" button when you are ready.
  5. Each screen contains a subset of questions. Complete the questions.
    • Mandatory fields are indicated by the word "mandatory".
    • Fields that are grey in colour cannot be edited. Click the "Contact Us" link on the left-hand navigation bar for information on how to contact OMAFRA if you need any of this data updated.
  6. Fill in the appropriate information, then press the "Next Page" button.
  7. When you arrive at the submission page, click the confirmation checkbox to confirm you have entered and reviewed your information, then click the "Submit" button.

Once you have submitted your Queen and Nuc permit application, it will be sent to OMAFRA for approval and you will receive a confirmation email that your application was submitted.

Once it has been processed by OMAFRA, you will receive an email with the outcome details and next steps. If your application is approved, this email will also contain your permit.

Manage applications

Any applications you have submitted, or that are in draft status, can be found in the "Manage My Applications" section of the Beekeeper Portal. From here, you can monitor the status of an application or continue working on a draft application.

To view your applications, click on the "Manage My Applications" link on the left-hand navigation bar. You will be taken to a screen that lists all applications linked to your account. In the list, you will see basic information regarding the type, status and dates associated with the application.

To view more information about the application:

  1. Click on the "View" icon in the "Manage My Applications" link.
  2. Details of your application can be seen on this screen, including status, type and associated business.

Resume a draft application

There are 2 ways to resume a draft application:

  1. Click the "Continue" icon on an application with a status of "Portal - Draft".
  2. Click the "View" icon on an application with a status of "Portal - Draft", then click the "Resume Application" button.

Refer to the registration renewal or apply for a permit section for steps on completing the respective online application.

Manage account profile

You can find your profile information in the "Manage My Profile" section of the Beekeeper Portal. Click on the "Manage My Profile" link on the left-hand navigation bar to see your profile information.

On your profile page, there will be:

  • your business name, email, address and phone number
  • account information, including your bee yards

Update profile information

Your basic profile information can be updated online anytime. To update your basic profile information, click the "Manage My Profile" link on the left-hand navigation bar. Review the profile information we currently have for you, such as contact information and addresses.

If a change is required:

  1. Click the "Modify My Profile Details" button below your address details.
  2. A new page will load that will allow you to update most of your profile information.
  3. Update the information as required.
  4. When you have made all the changes needed, click the "Submit" button to apply them or click the "Cancel" button if you decide to no longer apply the changes you entered.

If you require a change to your information that you do not have access to make, email Apiary@Ontario.ca.

Update a bee yard's status or hive count mid-season (outside of a registration renewal)

Any bee yard that has been registered to your account can have its status or number of hives updated online any time. To update a bee yard's status or number of hives, click the "Manage My Profile" link on the left-hand navigation bar. All bee yard's associated to your account will be provided in a list at the bottom of the screen.

Find the bee yard you wish to update

If you have a large operation, the list of bee yards associated to your account may also be large. To find the bee yard you wish to update, use the arrow buttons below the list of yards presented to you. Once the bee yard you wish to update is visible on the screen, you will be able to update it.

Update a bee yard's status or number of hives

Once you have found the bee yard you wish to update, click the line item. If you need to update the status, click in the "Status" field. A downward facing arrow will appear. Click on this arrow and the following status options will appear:

  • Active - This bee yard contains at least one honey bee colony
  • Equipment Only - This bee yard has used beekeeping equipment only
  • Inactive - This bee yard no longer has honey bees or used beekeeping equipment

If you need to update the number of hives in your bee yard, click in the "# of hives in bee yard" field. The field will be editable and allow you to update the number.

After updating your yard(s) status and/or number of hives, your Certificate of Registration will show the updates the next time you download it. If your registration is active with the Apiary Program, you can download your Certificate of Registration online anytime under the "Renew My Registration" link on the left-hand navigation bar.

If you require a change to your bee yard information that you do not have access to make, email Apiary@Ontario.ca.

Add a new bee yard mid-season (outside of a registration renewal)

All bee yards currently associated to your account can be viewed under the "Manage My Profile" link on the left-hand navigation bar. If a bee yard under your operation is not visible in the "Bee Yards Related to your Account" section of your profile, you can submit it to the Apiary Program for addition to your account. A new bee yard can be submitted online at anytime.

To submit a new bee yard:

  1. Click the "Manage My Profile" link on the left-hand navigation bar.
  2. In the bottom section of your profile information, titled "Bee Yards Related to your Account", review the current list of bee yards associated to your account. Ensure you use the arrows at the bottom of the list to see more bee yards if you have a larger operation.
  3. If the bee yard is not associated to your account, click the "Add Bee Yard" button below the list.
  4. A new page will load and allow you to enter the details of your new bee yard. Ensure you enter all the mandatory fields.
  5. Once all the information about your new bee yard is entered, click the "Save" button to submit it to the Ministry for processing, or click the "Cancel" button to cancel your submission.

The Apiary Program will review your submission and add it to your account or contact you if more information is required. Your Certificate of Registration will only incorporate the new bee yard(s) in your account once the Apiary Program has processed your new bee yard(s). Once they are processed, the new totals will appear on your Certificate of Registration the next time you download it. If your registration is active with the Apiary Program, you can download your Certificate of Registration online anytime under the "Renew My Registration" link on the left-hand navigation bar.

View inspection reports

To view completed inspections relating to your bee yards:

  1. Click the "View My Inspections" link on the left-hand navigation bar of the Beekeeper Portal homepage. You will be taken to a page that lists all completed inspections relating to your bee yards.
  2. Click the "View" icon to be navigated to an inspection details screen where you will be able to see additional details about a specific inspection.
  3. To see full details of the inspection, click the "Generate Inspection Report" button. After a few moments, you will be taken to the report section of the Beekeeper Portal. You can only generate reports for inspections that were done in the current calendar year. If you would like a report from a previous year, contact the Apiary Program.
  4. Click the report name hyperlink to see the details.
  5. Press "Open." The report will open in a PDF viewer where you can choose to save or close it. You will need a PDF viewer to open the report.

View existing reports

On the inspection details page, you can see any reports you have downloaded in the last seven business days. You will need a PDF viewer to open the reports. To re-open a report:

  1. Click the "View Existing Reports" link on the left-hand navigation bar of the inspection details page.
  2. Click on the "Report Name" hyperlink of the report you would like to see.
  3. Press the "Save" button to open the report. The report will open in a PDF viewer where you can choose to save or close it. You will need a PDF viewer to open the report.

Frequently asked questions

On the Beekeeper Portal homepage, click the "View FAQs" link on the left-hand navigation bar to find a list of popular questions. Click on a question to see the answer.

Contact us

Click the "Contact Us" link on the left-hand navigation bar for a list of ways you can contact OMAFRA for help with the Beekeeper Portal. Help desk staff are available Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m (EST). You can also email Ask.OMAFRA.portal@ontario.ca.