Here's why there's (another) Christmas tree shortage
Another year, another Christmas tree shortage in Canada.
The Executive Director of the Canadian Christmas Trees Association says don't panic buy your Christmas tree this year.
In a recent interview with The Weather Network, Shirley Brennan says extreme weather events like a severe frost in Nova Scotia back in June of 2018 are still having an impact, along with similar frost events in eastern Ontario and western Quebec in 2020.
Out west, it was "heat domes, the forest fires, the flooding of last year," said Brennan.
Aside from the weather, data from Stats Canada shows that from 2011 to 2021, over 8,000 hectares, which is potentially 30 million trees, have been lost due to Christmas tree farms being sold or owners retiring or passing away without succession plans.
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Grant Hogan has been growing trees in Mount Uniacke, Nova Scotia for over forty years. He's turning 80 in January and says that along with rising expenses, new growers aren't willing to invest the time needed - a decade-long span - between planting and harvesting your first crop.
"So you've gotta spend 8 to 10 years before you get any pay. And then, for the next five years, you're just getting the money back that you spent in the first 8 to 10 years. So, before you make any money, it's quite a long time," said Hogan.
You can see the full story in the video above.
Thumbnail image courtesy of Nathan Coleman.
