Greenhouse, sod and nursery industries, 2024
Released: 2025-04-24
The Canadian horticulture sector encompasses both ornamental and edible products. This release covers greenhouse, nursery and sod production.
In 2024, total sales of the greenhouse, nursery, field-grown cut flower and sod industries rose to $6.0 billion, up from $5.5 billion in 2023. Greenhouse products accounted for $5.0 billion (+8.4%), representing 83.4% of all sales.
Chart 1
Sales of greenhouse, nursery and sod products
Greenhouse growth: Increasing cultivation area
Total greenhouse area grew by 4.0% compared with 2023, reaching 33.3 million square metres in 2024. Nearly two-thirds of Canada's greenhouse area was in Ontario (63.9%), followed by British Columbia (18.5%) and Quebec (10.7%). Most greenhouse facilities were in southern Ontario, the Fraser Valley in British Columbia and the Montréal area in Quebec.
Inside the greenhouse: Growing more fruits and vegetables
Canada's greenhouse area for fruits and vegetables expanded by nearly 1 million square metres to reach 23.4 million square metres in 2024. Nationally, 70.0% of greenhouse area was used for fruit and vegetable cultivation.
Together, tomatoes (31.6%), peppers (30.3%) and cucumbers (29.6%) accounted for the majority of greenhouse-grown fruits and vegetables in 2024. These top three commodities remained dominant, despite growth in strawberry (+8.1%) and lettuce (+8.0%) areas.
Sales of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers increased by 8.5% to reach $2.5 billion in 2024. Tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers accounted for 91.9% of the total farm-gate value of all greenhouse fruits and vegetables, which reached $2.7 billion.
Ornamental production: Greenhouses, nurseries, sod and flowers
In the Annual Greenhouse, Sod and Nursery Survey, the ornamental horticulture sector includes the production of flowers and plants from greenhouses, nursery products, sod, and field-grown cut flowers.
Ornamental plant sales and resales values from greenhouses increased by 8.3% to $2.2 billion in 2024. Ontario accounted for half of this value (50.7%), followed by British Columbia (25.8%) and Quebec (12.4%).
In 2024, nearly two-thirds of greenhouse flower and plant sales came from potted production. Greenhouse operations also produced bedding plants or propagation material sold to other producers. Sales of ornamental and vegetable bedding plants were valued at more than $200 million each.
In 2024, cut flowers from greenhouse production were valued at $230.5 million and those from field production were valued at $32.4 million.
Nursery operations produce shrubs, trees and plants in containers and fields. In 2024, the total nationwide nursery area decreased by 0.8% to 15 209 hectares, while sales increased by 3.9% to $796.1 million.
In terms of sod production, sales opportunities are closely linked to housing market trends, which drive demand for landscaping products. Sod cultivated area grew by 2.7% to 21 702 hectares in 2024, while sales increased by 1.2% to $164.5 million.
Horticulture sector: Rising expenditures
Greenhouse operating expenses increased by 4.3% to $4.0 billion in 2024. Higher expenditures on electricity (+8.3%) and plant materials (+8.0%) were the main drivers.
Nursery operating expenses rose by 4.1% to $695 million in 2024, mainly driven by increases in other crop expenses (+9.7%) and other operating expenses (+4.8%).
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Note to readers
The Annual Greenhouse, Sod and Nursery Survey does not collect data on greenhouse cannabis production.
As of April 2024, the table for Total greenhouse, sod and nursery employees (32-10-0026-01) has been discontinued. Since the 2024 reference year, employment data is no longer collected through the Annual Greenhouse, Sod and Nursery Survey. This new approach is a part of the AgZero initiative which aims to reduce respondent burden while producing high quality estimates using alternative methods. Data is now derived from administrative sources and published through the Agriculture and Agri-Food Labour Statistics Program. For current agricultural labour data by North American Industry Classification System code, including information on greenhouse, nursery, and sod farms, please refer to the table of Employees in the agriculture sector, and agricultural operations with at least one employee, by industry (32-10-0215).
Data users can visualize survey data results with the interactive Crop production: Visualization tool.
For more information on agriculture and food, visit the Agriculture and Food Statistics portal.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).
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