Nestled in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Jacques Fontaine has transformed a childhood curiosity into a thriving beekeeping enterprise. What began nearly twenty years ago with just two hives has grown into Miel Fontaine, a dynamic operation of more than 1,100 hives producing honey, mead, and hands-on learning experiences for visitors of all ages. From hosting agritourism tours to training the next generation of beekeepers, Jacques continues to share his passion for bees and community every step of the way. CFIB sat down with Jacques to learn more about his journey and the thriving beekeeping community he’s built.
What made you want to get into beekeeping?
When I was a child, one of our neighbours had beehives and I found it fascinating to watch him work. I always wanted to try but never had the time. Nineteen years ago, we bought two hives and I took a class. We had just sold our sheet metal processing plants. I was basically retired, so I gave it a try just for fun.
I started selling honey at the Granby Public Market and it went well. We were making sales year-round. Then we built a 500-square-foot honey house, which is much bigger today. Over the years, we made acquisitions and moved the mead portion of the shop into a separate building. We now have about 1,100 hives and recently acquired a beekeeping equipment distributor in Belœil.
You offer both training and agritourism experiences at Miel Fontaine. Can you tell us what those look like?
We provide practical beekeeping training, usually to groups of 12 to 15. There are both theoretical and practical components, but I’m very flexible and I adapt to each group.
You work closely with schools and local groups. What does that community involvement look like?
We install hives in locations chosen by credit unions in our area and occasionally give presentations about them. For example, a small town near Farnham really wanted us to give a presentation at their school. So, my partner Louise, myself, and one of our employees spent a day training their students. We also regularly host groups from different schools, mostly from April to June and September to October. Recently, a high school contacted us so we could teach their students how we process our honey. So, we handed out head nets and showed them how it’s done! We offer a variety of packages to meet every school’s needs.
Tell us about your team and how your operations shift between seasons.
In the summer, we’re a team of about 15, including foreign workers, five of whom will be joining us next year. Our operations are mostly seasonal, however, we provide training during the winter on the transformation of beehive products. We also own a sugar bush and will be selling maple products as of 2026.
What time of year is honey harvested?
It depends on the type of flower. In the Lac Saint-Jean region, we have blueberry blossom honey because blueberries are pollinated. We also pollinate buckwheat and collect a small amount of honey in the spring, very early in the season. We harvest our summer honey at the end of July and our last batch in the fall, usually in the second or third week of September.
What do you do during the winter?
We keep our bees indoors in a sort of cellar with a ventilation system that controls the temperature and humidity levels.
Due to climate change, we’ve been bringing the bees indoors later in the year. We usually move the hives indoors in early December and take them out in mid-March. They’ve been spending less and less time indoors.
What has been the highlight of your business journey so far?
When COVID hit, I was giving talks in Sweden at a conference for professional beekeepers, and to my surprise, they signed me up for the mead competition without even telling me. The conference organizer had asked me to bring a few bottles to have them sample it. Everyone tasted our product, and we won first place! I couldn’t believe it. Mead comes from Sweden, Finland, and Norway! What an incredible moment!
What advice would you give someone who wants to start a small business today?
The key to success is surrounding yourself with the right people and being highly disciplined and organized.
Interested in learning more about Jacques’ business?
Visit mielfontaine.ca for more information.