Will Trump play scrooge to the Canadian Christmas Tree Market?

Canada's Christmas tree industry faces US tariff threat

The demand for Canadian Christmas trees has remained strong in recent years, but this could change if President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed 25 percent tariff on imports to the U.S. is enforced.

Shirley Brennan, executive director of the Canadian Christmas Trees Association (CCTA), expressed concern during a CBC interview, stating, "That 25 per cent tariff would be huge for our industry." A significant portion of Canadian Christmas trees are exported to the U.S., and the CCTA represents Canada’s provincial Christmas tree associations.

In Canada, over 20,000 hectares more than 50,000 acres are dedicated to Christmas tree production. According to the 2021 Census of Agriculture, there are 1,364 Christmas tree farms across the country, primarily located in Ontario, B.C., Quebec, and Nova Scotia.

The census also revealed that Canada exports more than 2.4 million Christmas trees annually, with 97.2 percent of these trees shipped to the U.S. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that live Christmas tree imports from Canada were valued at $68 million in 2022.

While this year’s Christmas tree sales are secure, Brennan warns that the industry could lose millions in the coming years if the tariff is imposed. U.S. retailers who rely heavily on Canadian trees may face shortages or increased prices.

"That could impact our growers for sure," Brennan said. "It could also impact the Christmas tree season in the States. If someone decides not to pay that tariff and not ship to the States, then that is going to impact whether or not they're going to have trees because they rely on Canada for their trees."

From an environmental perspective, one acre of Christmas trees produces enough oxygen for 18 people.

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