This article was written by one of our dedicated volunteers, Bornali, and edited by OFT staff.
Pollinators are more than just springtime visitors; they’re vital to keeping Ontario’s ecosystems and agricultural systems thriving. From bees and butterflies to bats and hummingbirds, these key players help maintain biodiversity, support food production, and sustain healthy landscapes. Yet, despite their importance, they’re in serious trouble. Globally, pollinators are responsible for reproducing 75% of flowering plants and pollinating 35% of global food crops1. In Ontario, more than three-fourths of the province’s crops rely on pollinators, including alfalfa, apples, blueberries, canola, cherries, cucumbers, melons, squashes, peaches, plums, and more2. Farms provide native pollinators with habitats for foraging and nesting, while pollinators provide essential pollination services to crops3.
A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)4 found that more than one-fifth of pollinator species in North America are at risk of extinction. In Canada, over 10% of the 759 species studied are threatened. The U.S. numbers are even more alarming, with 22.5% of 1,579 species facing some level of risk. Bees are the most vulnerable group. Among the 472 bee species studied, over one-third (34.7%) are at risk, including 10 bee species listed as critically imperiled. While flower flies and beetles are relatively secure, all three pollinating bat species are at risk. Hummingbirds are declining too, though their populations remain stable enough not to be classified as threatened. Bees, however, are the most prolific and efficient pollinators in agriculture, and only a small number of native bee species are responsible for most crop pollination3. Many others thrive in the natural areas found throughout farms.
Ontario, with its diverse geography and vast boreal forests, provides more stability for some species, but certain pollinators that rely on rare habitats in southern Ontario, the Prairies, or B.C.’s Okanagan Valley are more vulnerable due to human impact, habitat fragmentation, and climate change5. Urban development, pesticide drift, and shifting weather patterns continue to put pressure on these already-fragile populations4. As many pollinators rely on a limited range of plants, the loss of just a few species can disrupt plant reproduction and reduce overall biodiversity4.
Yet hope blooms. Local community efforts like the Butterflyway Project [1], a grassroots initiative by the David Suzuki Foundation, are creating networks of native plant gardens– small patches of wildflowers that form “pollinator highways”. These corridors help connect fragmented habitats and allow bees, butterflies, and other species to move freely and feed. Since most pollinators aren’t long-distance fliers, having garden clusters close together is essential.
Farmers can support pollinators by creating habitats that provide food and shelter throughout the growing season2. This can include planting a variety of flowering crops and cover crops that bloom at different times, which not only support pollinators but can also offer added benefits such as erosion control, nitrogen capture, and secondary income2. Natural features on the farm, such as hedgerows, rock piles, standing deadwood, and deciduous trees, also provide crucial nesting and overwintering sites2. In addition to helping pollinators thrive, these habitats support birds and small mammals by offering food sources and movement corridors across the landscape2.
Whether it’s planting native flowers, avoiding pesticides, or simply raising awareness, everyone can help support pollinators. Their survival is linked directly to our own—through the food we eat, the landscapes we love, and the ecosystems we depend on.
References
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2018. The importance of bee and other pollinators in food and agriculture. https://icdasustainability.org/report/why-bees-matter-the-importance-of-bees-and-other-pollinators-for-food-and-agriculture-2018/
- ONFARM. 2018. Above-Ground Biodiversity & Pollinators. https://www.osciaresearch.org/uploads/source/ONFARM/Fact_Sheets/ONFARM_Pollinators_Factsheet_May5.pdf
- Chan, S. & Raine, N. 2018. Introduction to Native Pollinators on Farms in Ontario. https://farmsatwork.ca/sites/default/files/Fact%20Sheet%20%231%20Introduction%20to%20Native%20Pollinators%20on%20Ontario%20Farms_1.pdf
- Cornelisse, T. et al. 2025. Elevated extinction risk in over one-fifth of native North American pollinators. PNAS. https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2418742122
- Pollinator Partnership Canada. (2023). Pollinators in Ontario. https://www.pollinatorpartnership.ca
Links:
- https://davidsuzuki.org/take-action/act-locally/butterflyway/