The Portlands Energy Centre is doing more than generating electricity for Toronto and the province — it’s also generating honey.
While being built on a brownfield – land once used as coal storage for the nearby (and now decommissioned) coal-fired Hearn Generating Station – the Portlands Energy Centre had a unique opportunity to transform the land around it. Partnering with the University of Guelph’s environmental experts and consulting the local community led to a sustainable reforestation plan for the area that included a pollinator garden and a rich and diverse habitat of wetlands and soil areas for native plants and wildlife.
Honeybees were introduced to support pollination
The Portlands Energy Centre’s private site offers the bees a secure, protected environment to thrive and produce honey.
To enhance access for beekeepers, a scenic, mulched walking trail that winds through the pollinator garden and surrounds the stormwater pond was added. Both the trail and pond are popular highlights during our annual Doors Open Toronto participation, where visitors learn about the pollinators, and our reforestation efforts.
Today, our pollinator garden is a flourishing ecosystem that continues to evolve and exemplifies Atura Power’s commitment to environmental stewardship, and community collaboration. It’s a showcase of how thoughtful restoration and conservation can breathe new life into an industrial site — all while producing delicious, locally-sourced honey.
What we do
