MacroInsider reports that, despite the widespread controversy surrounding pesticides across Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec, the Great White North’s bee industry and bee population is growing. This as per a Statistics Canada study released Tuesday pointing this out. The Ontario Beekeepers’ Association attributes the growth to an increase in hobbyists and, consequently, honey’s value has gone up too.

But, one may ask, what about the concerns with colony collapse disorder (CCD) associated with the extensive use of pesticides, including neonicotinoids? According to a spokesperson for the Canadian Honey Council, most of Canada’s honey is produced is the west where neonics are used mostly on canola. There is a less harmful mixture than what is sprayed on corn and soy that are grown primarily in Ontario and Quebec. As it turns out, bee populations are up in Ontario and Quebec too.

None the less, Ontario Beekeepers’ Association spokesman Tibor Szabo insists that the growth numbers in bees are deceiving and not sustainable. He does attribute CCD and overall harm to the bee industry to widespread pesticide use including and especially neonics. However, it is kind of hard to argue with the data especially if the source is the government of Canada itself. According to Transparency International’s corruption index, Canada is among the least corrupt countries in the world.

Environmentalists have sought to ban the use of neonicotinoid pesticides up to the point where they were willing to manipulate the political process using false studies to accomplish their goal. Now, with these findings from Canada they can no longer make the case that neonic pesticides are harmful to bee populations. Despite their myth being busted, I have no doubt these facts will not stop them from pursuing bans on neonics.