Maple Syrup Industry Overview

Table of Contents

1. The Maple Syrup Industry in Ontario
2. Maple Syrup Producing Trees
3. The History of Maple Syrup Production
4. Production Areas of Ontario
5. The Maple Syrup Industry in Canada
6. Production Areas of the United States - Reference Information for Canadian Producers
7. Production Volumes
8. Ontario Statistics
9. Agroforestry Statistics
10. Agri-Tourism

The Maple Syrup Industry in Ontario

Here, in Ontario, our producers account for the production of more than one million litres of maple syrup annually. In 2002 alone, Ontario's maple syrup industry had a gross value of $11 million placing us second in Canada to Quebec in terms of product value.

One of the factors making Ontario a world leader in maple syrup production is the climate. Cold winters followed by warm and sunny spring thaws create ideal conditions for sap to run from our two main sources - the sugar or hard maple and the black maple. Most of the province's maple syrup is produced in the Waterloo and Wellington regions in southern Ontario and the Lanark and District regions in eastern Ontario. However, other areas of southern, south-western, eastern, central and north-central Ontario also have significant maple syrup operations.

Today, Ontario is home to 2,600 producers with an estimated 1.3 million taps and an annual production of more than one million litres of syrup. Nearly 80 per cent of our province's maple syrup is now produced by operations using a plastic tube collection system with the remaining 20 per cent relying on traditional bucket tapping operations. For more information on Ontario's maple syrup industry, please read our relevant infosheet.

Maple Syrup Producing Trees

• Canada's Maple Tree Species

The History of Maple Syrup Production

• Ideal Trees for Tapping
• Maple Syrup's Beginnings

Production Areas of Ontario

• Maple Syrup Overview
• Economic Importance of the Maple Industry

The Maple Syrup Industry in Canada

It's no secret that Canada plays a leading international role in maple syrup production. We produce about 85 per cent of the world's maple syrup - valued at over $213 million annually. There are approximately 10,500 producers across the country located mainly in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia that export our maple products to 45 countries worldwide.

• Canada's Maple Syrup Industry
• Canada's Maple Producing Provinces
• Maple Syrup Production on the Prairies
• Quebec Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
• A Canadian Overview of Maple Production

Production Areas of the United States - Reference Information for Canadian Producers

• U.S. Nation-wide Maple Syrup Production
• U.S. National Agricultural Statistics Services - Maple Syrup

Production Volumes

• Canadian Maple Syrup Production Values and Volumes

Ontario Statistics

• Production and Value of Honey and Maple Products
• Production and Farm Value of Maple Products in Ontario

Agroforestry Statistics

• Agroforestry Statistics

Agri-tourism

Opportunities for Ontario's Agri-Food Sector:

• The Minister's Strategic Advisory Committee Report
• Suggestions for Helping You Start an Agri-tourism Venture
• Tourism Business
• Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation
• Managing Risks on Farms Open to the Public
• Buying, Storing and Preparing