Canada, with its large and varied land base, combined with its cooler climate, is an ideal country for producing organic food.
The cold weather and freezing conditions reduce pest pressure and keep a lot of insect pests out of the country. So, pest control is free: winter does the job. Furthermore, Canadian soil is fairly young; it was glaciated only 10,000 years ago and there are many nutrients in it, compared with weathered tropical soils near the equator. The presence of many minerals in the Canadian soil is deemed beneficial for organic producers.
Consumer confidence and demand has grown, as has trust in the Canada Organic Brand, since the Canadian organic regulatory system was set in place in 2009.
The growth rate is steady – up to 8% year-over-year – and is expected to increase even faster in coming years as the sector is diversifying and expanding into new markets.
Oilseed and grain type farms represented the highest proportion of organic farms in Canada at 29.8% (2016), while organic fruit and vegetable production increased 8.2% to 19 506 hectares in 2020. But Canada imports far more certified organic fresh fruit than is grown and sold domestically. For example, Canada only produced 3% of organic strawberries sold on Canadian market.
To access additional data on the Canadian organic market, you can consult the Quick Facts about Organic in Canada, produced by the Canada Organic Trade Association.
To view a map of the different provincial, territorial and national organic organizations, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada have published a graphic showing Who is Who in Canada (2021), which highlights each organization’s objectives and areas of work.
