Christmas Tree Prices Are Rising

In most Canadian homes, the Christmas tree is the main fixture during the Christmas season—the center piece decoration.

And now, the Christmas tree is getting more expensive and it won’t surprise me if—in the very near future—all Canadians opt for a more “green” tree.

Pardon the pun.

According to the president of the Quebec Christmas Tree Growers Association, Jimmy Downey, the price of the trees he sells has been increased by 10% this year for the first time in almost 10 years!

What is the reason for this price rise?

Well, according to Mr. Downey, it is the high demand of the trees on the Western region of the United States as those states have experienced so many dry seasons that their trees haven’t grown properly, they are short and stunted. Also, it seems that millennials are growing a collective affinity for the natural trees.

On the Downey school of thought, the Eastern part of Canada will be blessed with many-a-tree. However, the province of British Columbia will most certainly see a shortage of trees since it has always had its Christmas trees imported from its neighbor to the immediate south, America. On the other hand, price increase might not be a bad thing; the expensive cost of fertilizers and labor will be covered and absorbed.

The increasing prices of the aforementioned factors have driven some of the growers out of the market.

Statistics Canada has found that the number of hectares meant for the growing of Christmas trees in the country has gone down to 23,787 in 2016 from 28,315, 6 years ago. Farmland numbers have depreciated from 2,381 to 1,872 now.