Marie-Claire LeBlanc

OTTAWA, Ontario, Canada, October 1, 2024 – The Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association (CSPMA), representing 90% of North America’s annual horticultural Peat extraction, is releasing its annual Harvest Report for the 2024 season.

Canadian Harvest of Horticultural Peat as of August 31
The annual survey of members was conducted on the status of their 2024 Actual Harvest as a percentage of their 2024 Expected Harvest as of August 31 (see definitions below; harvest will continue in some regions, weather dependent). Overall, the 2024 results show a strong improvement from the challenges faced in recent years, particularly in New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.  

Regional Results
In Western Canada, regions were, on average, slightly below targeted volumes (84% in Manitoba; 91% in Saskatchewan; 98% in Alberta). There was a delay to the start of the harvest season with significant rain in Manitoba, but with warm weather and dryer conditions throughout the summer, producers hope to nearly reach their targeted levels. In New Brunswick, both the North (97%) and South (132%) regions saw a significant improvement to harvest conditions. In many cases, producers reached their expected targets early in the season as the conditions were ideal and continued throughout the season. Across the Maritimes, including Prince-Edward-Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador, harvest levels were below average due to rain and unfavorable conditions. The harvest on Québec’s South Shore (95%) and North Shore (96%) were at the expected targeted levels. Ontario’s harvest (77%) was slightly below expected levels as constant rain did impact harvest throughout the summer.  

As in the past, the Canadian horticultural peat producers are committed to working cooperatively with their commercial business partners to meet their business requirements. CSPMA members continue to extract and manage horticultural peat in a sustainable and responsible way that delivers social and economic benefits to many communities across North America, all while applying science-based world-leading environmental practices. In addition, Canadian horticultural peat producers are engaged in increasing efficient harvesting capacity through investments in plant infrastructure, harvesting equipment, bog openings, and personnel training, while partnering with academia to limit its environmental footprint. Producers, through the CSPMA, are also working with provincial governments to improve the regulatory environment to ensure the critical resource continues to deliver on the benefits of food security and well-being for generations to come.  

Update on Industry Peatland Management
Footprint
The peatland area managed for horticultural peat extraction in Canada is assessed through voluntary surveys sent to CSPMA members and other non-member Canadian peat companies. The latest survey was carried out in 2024, reflecting data from 2023. 

In 2023, the total industry footprint, which represents all areas ever opened for extraction by peat companies in Canada (starting in 1929), was 36,032 hectares (ha). Relatively speaking, this is 0.03% of Canada’s total peatland area, which exceeds 119 million ha. 60% of these areas are under extraction, while 40% represent post-production areas. A fair portion of latter have been restored (55%) or reclaimed (17%) while 28% are awaiting restoration.  

As of 2023, more than 80% of the total footprint was certified under the Veriflora® Responsibly Managed Peatlands Certification – an independent program for Responsible Horticultural Peat Moss Production established by SCS Global Services: https://www.scsglobalservices.com/services/responsibly-managed-peatlands  

Key Engagement and Commitments for 2024 
The key activities outlined below reflects CSPMA’s commitment to advancing stewardship efforts that promote the sustainable management of peatlands across Canada. 

• Renewal of a 5-year academic research program to address topics related to peatland restoration and carbon sequestration. The support provided by CSPMA and its members is part of a long-term collaboration with academic research teams that started in 1990 and totals over $20 million in investments.  

• Support for the creation of a new Partnership Research Chair in Ecosystem Restoration that aims at advancing practices for the ecological restoration of disturbed environments. The Chair is headed by Dr. Line Rochefort, a world-renowned leading professor at Université Laval (Québec, Canada) and will involve researchers from various sectors.   

• Pursue CSPMA’s National Peatland Restoration Initiative (NPRI), a commitment made in 2016 to restore the historical sites that have been extracted and closed without restoration actions by 2031.  

• Closely linked with the NPRI, advance the CanRePeat multi-million-dollar Project to evaluate, restore and secure former peat extraction sites that aren’t subjected to legal obligations for restoration. This ambitious 5-year initiative is realized in partnership with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) under the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund, which aims to restore and secure carbon-rich ecosystems across the country. 

Media Contact
Asha Hingorani
President, Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association (CSPMA)
asha@peatmoss.com
613-668-3037
www.peatmoss.com  

Definitions
2023 Actual Harvest: The volume of cubic feet (CFT) of harvest that was achieved as of August 31, plus, what can reasonably be expected to be harvested for the last few weeks of the season considering « normal » harvesting conditions.
2023 Expected Harvest: The volume of CFT that equates to a) market needs, plus, b) anticipated buffer as at the end of the 2023 season, minus, c) inventory on hand at the start of the 2023 season (what was left of the 2022 buffer).

A little-known industry and an incomparable resource, horticultural peat has much to be celebrated for in terms of the benefits it provides to people and its responsible management.
To understand this unique industry, we’ve produced a series of 4 videos, each presenting a different aspect of the Canadian horticultural peat industry. The videos are available for you to watch and share on our YouTube channel. Enjoy your viewing!

Canadian Horticultural Peat 101 | VIDEO AVAILABLE HERE
Our first video invites you to take a tour of this unequalled horticultural material, essential to food security and people’s well-being, responsibly managed in Canada.

Responsible Production | VIDEO AVAILABLE HERE
How is horticultural peat production regulated? What’s the true scale of this industry? How does the Canadian industry stand out in terms of management? Find the answers to these questions and discover an unrivalled, responsibly managed resource.

Ecological Restoration | VIDEO AVAILABLE HERE
Over 9,500 hectares of peat extraction sites have been restored or reclaimed by the Canadian industry to date, representing nearly 70% of post-extraction peat surfaces. Plant communities recover in around 5 years, and the carbon sequestration function, within 15 years.

Scientific Research | VIDEO AVAILABLE HERE
Did you know that the Canadian peat industry has been supporting academic research and collaborating with scientific teams for over 30 years? The results are used to develop better resource management practices and identify avenues for improvement. A partnership that is part of our industry’s DNA.

This initiative was made possible thanks to the financial support of the Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie du Québec (MEIE) and the Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association (CSPMA), as part of a project to raise the profile of the horticultural peat industry, coordinated by the Peat and Substrates Cluster of Excellence.