Statistics Canada has released the first tranche of information from the 2021 Census of Agriculture, noting the transformation and resilience of Canadian farmers. Trends identified in previous census cycles, such as industry consolidation and aging of farm operators, have continued in 2021. At the same time, the agriculture industry is adapting and modernizing with higher rates of technology adoption, renewable energy production, use of direct marketing solutions and sustainable farming practices.

According to the Statistics Canada chart showing the breakdown of various agricultural activities, horticulture represents about 9.2 per cent of the total number of farms. This number includes vegetable and melon farming, fruits and nuts as well as greenhouse production. Note that this number includes the floral sector. 

The report notes that the greenhouse sector is emerging as a key industry in Canadian agriculture. Farms in Canada reported a 23.2 per cent increase in total greenhouse area from the previous census, to 330.5 million square feet in 2021. Meanwhile, the total greenhouse area for fruit and vegetables was 219.7 million square feet in 2021, which accounted for around two-thirds (66.5%) of Canada's total greenhouse area..

Meanwhile, the total area of fruits, berries and nuts increased 0.4 per cent, from 332,812 acres in 2016 to 334,182 acres in 2021. Conversely, the total area of field vegetables decreased slightly to 260,757 acres, down from 270,294 acres in 2016.

For complete details, link here: https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/census-agriculture

Source:  Statistics Canada May 11, 2022 news release