History of Canadian Peat 

The Early Years 

Peat uses for horticultural purposes in Canada started approximately 100 years ago. Before World War II, most of the Peat used in North America came from Europe, particularly from the Scandinavian countries, the Netherlands and Germany. As a result of the war, traditional sources of Peat were interrupted and efforts to find local sources triggered the modern era of Peat extraction in Canada, mainly in Alberta, Manitoba, Québec and New Brunswick initially.   

Over the years, Canadian companies became the main suppliers of Peat in North America, in its raw form but with various fibrosity levels. Initially, Peat was used in horticulture, supporting the floricultural and mushroom growing segments but also for animal bedding, packing, and insulation material. Extraction consisted of cutting blocks of Peat by hand with shovels and stacking them for drying, a method that had been used for centuries across Europe. The blocks were then cut into chips at the processing plant and pressed into bales. Increased productivity was then achieved by importing cutting machines from Europe.   

In terms of geographical expansion, what had started as a Peat extraction industry in four provinces, slowly but surely expanded to nine over the next decades, to include, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland, ensuring a more efficient distribution over the North American continent.  

At the end of the 1960’s, early 1970’s three major changes happened that contributed to the industry’s growth. First, Canadian Peat producers gradually abandoned the traditional block cutting method in favour of the milling method using vacuum harvesting machines. Second, a number of Peat producers and various stakeholders successfully conceived and introduced ready-to-use potting soils and mixes intended for the various horticultural markets, mainly the floriculture market and home gardening. Third, plant operations and bale handling were greatly facilitated by increased automation.  

The 1970’s to the 1990’s was thus a period of growth and product diversification to serve a very rapid expansion of various usages for Peat and Peat-based growing media in North America.   

35 years ago, creation of CSPMA and a vision for the future    

In 1988, as the industry was experiencing a period of growth and diversification, leaders of the various Peat producer-companies believed the creation of an industry trade association would help the marketing of Peat for gardeners in the U.S.  

The Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association (CSPMA) was thus formed. Early years Board Directors included Bernard Bélanger from Premier Tech, Claudin Berger from Berger, Mike Crow from Sungro, Henry Endres from Annapolis Valley, Ray Hughes from Hyde Park, Gilles Haché from Acadian, Daniel Dumas from Nirom, and Réal Fafard from Fafard. 

The association’s first President was Gerry Hood (1988-2008), a Peat producer himself, from Alberta.   

“The CSPMA was formed when two dozen representatives of Peat producers from across Canada met to try to agree on ways to expand the Peat market. After a lengthy and sometimes loud discussion, the producers agreed to form the Association. The first few years were spent on promoting the use of Peat in gardening, but it wasn't long before the directors realized, given what was happening in the UK after centuries of systematic extraction, that the focus should be on ensuring that the Canadian industry was going to be sustainable and that Peat extraction was not harmful to the environment. To that end, it appeared clearly that a true industry / science partnership needed to be created and that a true and long-term financial and value commitment from industry was essential in order to achieve these goals.”  - Gerry Hood 

In the early 1990’s, before climate change, greenhouse gases, or biodiversity were central to the political discourse in Canada, leaders of the industry, many family owned Peat businesses at the time and today, believed it was critical to better understand the peatland ecosystems and ensure that extraction done on Canadian peatlands could be mitigated and eventually restored to ensure it could bring back the ecological functions of these ecosystems.   

With this said, those known today as the elders of the Canadian Peat industry believed that the best way to ensure the industry was to be truly sustainable was to collaborate with the academic research community, which also meant bringing Peat producers from across Canada together.  

Without this vision from leaders in the industry over 30 years ago, the Peat industry would not today be considered a leader in responsible resource management. The wisdom to ensure peatlands are restored and extraction impacts are mitigated provided a central goal: develop a restoration method that would be operationally feasible and ecologically sound to bring back the ecosystem functions: biodiversity, hydrology and carbon sequestration.   

“In 1992, CSPMA and the Peat Research Centre in New Brunswick co-hosted a workshop that focused on finding ways to restore peatlands. That workshop was attended by a young doctoral student from Laval University named Line Rochefort who has gone on to accomplish great things for the world of Peatland restoration. That workshop was the catalyst for decades of research investment by all members of the Peat industry, helping to make Canada a world leader in peatland restoration.”  

“My 20 years as President were some of the best times in my business career, a lot because of the industry leaders who sat on the CSPMA board. Although they were all fierce competitors in the market, they always "left their company hats at the door" when the Board met to discuss how the industry could increase its knowledge and reduce its environmental footprint. I am proud of the continued work the CSPMA is doing.”  - Gerry Hood 

After Gerry stepped down, from 2007 to 2021, CSPMA was led by Paul Short, also from Alberta but coming from outside of the industry. For 14 years Paul served as President, increasing the industry’s presence with government, and working with scientists nationally and internationally, ensuring that research and knowledge acquisition was kept at the front of the agenda. Paul was further instrumental with ensuring Canada maintained a strong position on the international level, including with the International Peatland Society (IPS), an NGO dedicated to ensuring that science-based facts inform peatland management internationally.  Finally, Paul led the industry during some of the most turbulent times, such as the global COVID pandemic.   

“During my tenure, the industry experienced much change. A principal challenge focused on the retention of a strong science understanding of peatland ecosystem functions and restoration techniques. Linked to this was the need to ensure appropriate science-based legislation, regulations and policies, often those that the industry had itself identified as its best management practices to ensure industry’s access to peatland resources. CSPMA engaged at the Provincial, Federal, and international levels to educate and uphold its access to peatlands and manage them responsibly. Industry members transformed and adjusted their practices to address the sustainability of industry and the responsible management of the Peat resource.”  - Paul Short 

In 2021, the industry hired Asha Hingorani, from Ottawa, as only its third President in more than 35 years. Asha is continuing to lead the CSPMA today.     

For Generations to Come  

Today, the Canadian Peat industry supports over 10,000 jobs in nine provinces in rural communities across Canada and the industry’s activities cover approximately 36,000 hectares of Canadian peatlands, 0.03% of the 119 million hectares found in Canada.  

Developed by PERG scientists, the Moss Layer Transfer Technique supports the long-term regeneration of peatland ecosystems and has led to the restoration of 55% of post-production areas (7,875 ha) over the course of the industry’s history. The industry is recognized both in Canada and internationally for its leadership in responsibly and sustainably managing the resource (Peat) and the ecosystem (peatlands). 

CSPMA holds a seat on the Board of the International Peatland Society (IPS). The IPS,  supported by 16 national committees across the globe, was constituted in 1968, in Québec, Canada. The IPS members are dedicated to the responsible management of peatlands and the Wise Use of Peat.  

In 2023, the Canadian Peat industry renewed the Alliance grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), supporting a partnership between the Canadian Peat industry (CSPMA and its members), Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), the Government of Manitoba,  Université Laval,  University of Waterloo and Queen's University. The aim of this partnership is to establish nature-based solutions through peatland restoration in order to re-establish the biodiversity of these ecosystems and restore their carbon sink functions. The impact of the partnership will ensure restoration of more peatlands as functioning ecosystems, helping to mitigate climate change and biodiversity loss.   

Further, the Canadian Peat industry is continuing to work directly with governments across Canada to ensure the extraction process is done in a responsible way meeting all regulatory requirements and strengthening them when needed. Finally, the Canadian Peat industry is entering into its 15th year under the Veriflora® Responsibly Managed Peatlands certification program and the ever-increasing requirements for the certification constitutes a strong symbol of sustainability to growers and gardeners across North America.    

The Canadian Peat story continues to be written and the industry is committed to ensuring the resource is managed responsibly and available for generations to come.