How climate change is affecting Ontario maple syrup producers
Maple syrup producers in the national capital region are seeing the effects of climate change, and if those changes continue, there could be long-term effects for the maple syrup landscape in North America.
At Wheelers Maple in Lanark County, they did something this year they've never done before - tap trees in January.
"Traditionally here in Lanark County our maple syrup season starts early to mid-March through to the middle of April," co-owner Mark Wheeler tells CTV News.
Two weeks after tapping, Wheelers was boiling its first batch of syrup on Valentine's Day - again, the earliest the team ever done so. The previous earliest boil was Feb. 20, 2018.
Wheeler credits a mild winter for the record start to the season and notes it's a trend he's seeing become more regular.
"On average, it's been kind of inching earlier."
Maple producers across Ontario are also noting the warming temperatures and the effects of climate change.
"Although it's of concern, I don't think sugaring as we know it is going to be in any type of jeopardy down the road," says Ray Bonenberg, treasurer and head of communications for the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers Association.
The world's only maple belt is situated in North America and is an area that stretches as far north as the tip of Lake Superior, as far south as Tennessee, west to Missouri, and east to Newfoundland.
The sweet spot for soil enrichment to create flavour lays around southwestern Ontario and Pennsylvania.
Bonenberg says just south of that region, effects of climate change are being seen.
"I've seen in some of the southern states and areas in southwestern Ontario that the sugar content was quite low."
"The sap likes it cold, the syrup likes it cold," he explains.
Bonenberg says that the ideal weather for maple syrup is a swing of five degrees during the day and minus five at night.
He adds that producers in Lanark and Renfrew counties could actually benefit from climate change if that ideal weather window were to be pushed north due to rising temperatures.
"I don't see a negative impact on a slight temperature increase over the next 100 to 200 years."
"If we had another degree or two the sap would run really well," adds Wheeler.
The maple syrup producer in Lanark County says the early start hasn't impacted syrup production or flavour negatively at this point, and the result is sticky success.
"Because we've had a fairly mild winter the sap was really, really good right from the start," says Wheeler. "It was very sweet."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.