INDUSTRY

STATISTICS

StatistiCS

IN CANADA

ANNUAL
PRODUCTION

11.8

millions OF M3 OF Canadian horticultural peat

canadian peatlands

0.03%

HAVE BEEN HARVESTED BY THE INDUSTRY

Surface area

  • In Canada, peatlands cover approximately 113.6 million hectares. From that number, only 0.03% of the resource (34 000 hectares) have been or are currently harvested.
  • Over the total footprint of the industry, 61% of the areas were in production in 2020 whereas 39 % were in postproduction.
  • Approximately 70% of the areas in production are located in the eastern provinces (mainly in New Brunswick and Quebec) whereas central and western regions account for 30%.
  • Almost 80% of the areas in production are certified Veriflora.

Source : Sondage interne CSPMA, 2020.

Production

  • Annual Canadian peat production is 11.8 million tons cubic metres.
  • The United States imports approximately 90% of the Canadian production, representing 96% of their total sphagnum peat moss imports.

Source : Ressources naturelles Canada, moyenne de 2016 à 2020; USGS 2021.

Economic data

  • According to Natural Resources Canada, 1.4 million tons have been shipped in 2019 for an estimated value of $353.6 M.

The economic benefits associated with the Canadian peat industry in 2016 (harvesting and processing):

  • Investments directly related to the peat industry of nearly $652.8 million in Canada. Quebec is the province with the highest investment followed by Alberta, New Brunswick and Manitoba.
  • Nearly 2,300 jobs (full-time equivalent) are generated by the peat industry. To this number can be added 2,200 indirect and 1,900 induced jobs (FTE).
  • The total GDP generated by investments from the peat industry is estimated at $788.6 M for Canada: $335.4 M in direct benefits and $453.3 M in indirect and induced benefits.
  • The peat industry significantly contributes to tax revenues: these of the federal government are estimated at $58.5 million while these of the various provincial governments total $73.6 million.
  • Though these economic benefits are quite significant, it is important to put them in perspective because the impact is not the same for the regions and the urban centres. For example, the creation of 1 job and 1 GDP $ in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region is equivalent – from a relative standpoint – to  24 jobs and $18 GDP in the Montreal Metropolitan Area.

Source: Natural Resources Canada, 2019; EcoTec Consultants, Doyon and Bergeron, 2018.

Statistics

IN QUEBEC

QUEBEC
ACCOUNTS FOR

25%

of canadian
production

Quebec
Peatlands

0.06%

have been harvested by the industry

Surface Area

  • Just over 9,600 hectares of peatlands have been opened since the start of industrial operations. The total footprint represents 0.06% of the total peatland areas in Quebec – which is estimated at 16.1 million hectares.
  • Areas in production in 2020: 5,800 hectares.
  • Areas restored or reclaimed in 2020: 2,300 hectares.
  • The majority of peatlands used for peat harvesting are located outside major centres, including a good proportion in the Lower St. Lawrence and north shore regions. Other peat production sites are located in the Saguenay-Lac Saint-Jean, Centre-du-Québec, Chaudière- Appalaches, Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Gaspésie regions.

Source: Natural Resources Canada, 2019; EcoTec Consultants, Doyon et Bergeron, 2018.

Production

  • Quebec accounts for about 25% of Canadian production.
  • In standard six-cubic-foot bales, Quebec production was 12 million bales, in 2019.

Source : NRCan, 2019, MERN, 2021.

Economic Data

  • The industry has been associated with the development of the regions for nearly 100 years in Quebec.
  • According to Natural Resources Canada, 464,000 tons of Quebec peat have been shipped in 2019 for an estimated value of $92.8 M.

The economic benefits associated with the Quebec peat industry in 2016 (harvesting and processing):

  • Investments directly related to the Quebec peat industry of nearly $197.4 M. Regionally, it is in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region where the peat investments are the greatest followed by the Saguenay-Lac Saint-Jean, Centre-du-Québec and Côte-Nord regions.
  • Nearly 700 jobs (full-time equivalent) are generated by the Quebec peat industry. To this number can be added 1,150 indirect and induced jobs for a total of 1,850 person-years of employment. Almost 32% of these jobs are located in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region.
  • The total GDP generated by investments from the Quebec peat industry is estimated at $212.1 M: $97.7 M in direct benefits and $114.4 M in indirect and induced benefits.

Source : Evaluation of economic benefits generated by the sphagnum peat moss industry in Canada (and Quebec) in 2016.