Maple syrup producers in Quebec are protesting against intensive logging practices that threaten their access to essential maple trees on public lands. They have sent cans of syrup mixed with wood chips to MPs to raise awareness. Concerns over long-term sustainability have been voiced, with producers advocating for access to public forests while criticizing government proposals as inadequate. The industry, deeply tied to family traditions, faces challenges from the forestry sector and difficulties securing resources for future projects.
Maple Syrup Producers Protest Logging Practices
Frustrated maple syrup producers have resorted to sending cans of syrup packed with wood chips to CAQ Members of Parliament. This unconventional protest aims to highlight the detrimental effects of “intensive logging,” which threatens their access to vital maple trees on public lands throughout Quebec.
Concerns Over Long-Term Sustainability
Linda Lafontaine, from Érablière du lac Blanc in Lanaudière, expressed her concerns, stating, “If logging continues to take precedence, they will be cutting down maple trees that take decades to mature. There is a clear lack of long-term vision.” With 5,800 taps situated in public forests, the implications of this logging are particularly alarming for her and other producers.
In Quebec, the maple syrup industry is deeply rooted in family traditions, often passed down through generations. Lafontaine’s sentiments resonate with many in the industry who feel their heritage is at stake. Despite the Minister of Natural Resources and Forests, Maïté Blanchette Vézina, recently announcing new targets for producers, many have found these proposals insufficient and have dismissed them outright.
Producers are increasingly vocal about their frustrations, even going so far as to cancel a meeting with the Ministries of Agriculture and Forests. According to Luc Goulet, president of the Quebec Maple Producers (PPAQ), the forestry sector currently monopolizes over 100% of many regions’ territories, forcing syrup producers to provide wood to factories instead of focusing on their sugar bushes.
In their pursuit of fairness, producers are advocating for access to 25,000 hectares of public forest in the short term and 35,000 hectares in the medium term. Goulet emphasizes that their aim is not to seek government funding but to secure a sustainable future for their industry. He states, “We sustain villages. We occupy the territory. We want our fair share.”
Three years ago, *Le Journal* captured the heartfelt plea of a fourth-generation maple syrup producer, who accused Quebec of jeopardizing this vital industry by allowing paper mills to operate freely in public forests. Jonathan Blais, another syrup producer and president of the PPAQ in Estrie, criticized Premier François Legault, suggesting that his urban background disconnects him from the realities faced by rural producers. “For him, it’s all about the numbers and the money. The state is subsidizing this destruction,” he lamented.
In response to the producers’ grievances, Jean-François Samray, CEO of the Quebec Forest Industry Council (CIFQ), expressed surprise at the accusations, noting, “I don’t know many people in the pulp and paper sector who will make paper from sugar maple.”
As of late May, Quebec’s maple syrup producers voiced their irritation over difficulties in securing electricity for their investment projects, particularly as foreign companies establish battery factories in the region. Hydro-Québec defended its position, asserting that it is capable of supplying power, although it acknowledged that some requests may have been complex.
Maple Syrup Industry Statistics
Here are some key figures about the maple syrup industry in Quebec:
- Number of maple producers: 13,500
- Number of businesses: 8,400
- Annual production: 239 million pounds
(Source: Quebec Maple Producers)