December is upon us, and a hint of holiday spirit is already in the air. ‘Tis the season of the Christmas tree, a quintessential part of the Christmas tradition.
Whether real or artificial, a decorated Christmas tree can bring a touch of magic into any space, and for many Canadians, a Christmas tree is part of creating a holiday ambience at home.
Countin’ around the Christmas tree
You may have already started to see real Christmas trees for sale in your community, bringing a festive touch to the season. The 2021 Census of Agriculture counted 1,364 farms in Canada that grew Christmas trees for sale, spread over 50,803 acres.
Quebec (19,169) had the most acres, including the neighbouring census agricultural regions of Estrie and Chaudière-Appalaches in the southeastern part of the province, which combined made up 89.3% of this area.
Ontario (418) had the most farms, followed by British Columbia (276) and Quebec (257). Nova Scotia’s 213 farms were more than the combined total of the remaining six provinces (200).
In June 2024, there were 1,921 business locations nationwide in the nursery and tree production industry, which comprises establishments primarily engaged in growing various nursery products and trees, including Christmas trees.
Cash receipts received by Canadian Christmas tree producers totalled just over $189 million in 2023.
Canadian Christmas trees travel near and far
Not all Christmas trees grown in Canada will stay here—many will spread the Christmas spirit in other parts of the world, near and far.
Canada exported over 2.0 million fresh Christmas trees in 2023, most (96.5%) of which ended up in the United States. Final destinations for most exported trees were Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Idaho, Connecticut and North Carolina.
Most of the remaining exported Christmas trees in 2023 were off to warmer climates in the Western Hemisphere, including Panama, Aruba, Curaçao, Bahamas, St. Maarten (Dutch part) and Bermuda.
Since the beginning of the current export tracking series in 1988, Canada’s fresh Christmas trees have set down (temporary) roots across the globe, including the Philippines, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Greenland, Ireland, Belgium, Hungary, Papua New Guinea, Ecuador, Togo, Algeria, Namibia, Australia, Kuwait, Venezuela and Guatemala.
While plenty of Christmas trees grown on Canadian soil are exported around the world, Canada has imported small amounts of fresh Christmas trees over the years as well. In 2023, Canada imported just over 111,000 Christmas trees, and most (63.6%) of these imports came from the state of Oregon.
Wherever they come from, plenty of beautiful trees will be on display this month to enjoy. If you are decorating a Christmas tree at home, remember to follow Health Canada’s fire safety tips.
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Contact information
For more information, contact the Statistical Information Service (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).