Inside Ontario’s Billion-Dollar Greenhouse Surge
By Jennifer Strailey for The Packer
From a concentrated hub in southwestern Ontario, the majority of Canada’s greenhouse growers are strategically located within a 24-hour drive of more than half the U.S. population — positioning the province, not just as a local producer, but as a year-round vegetable garden of North America.
Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers represents a network of more than 170 of these growers, who specialize in tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers and contribute some $2.5 billion to the province’s gross domestic product each year. Production is spread across 4,500 acres, about 80% of which is concentrated in Kingsville and Leamington.
“In recent years, the sector has enjoyed an average annual growth rate of 7%, and projections suggest expansion could continue at roughly 5% per year until 2033, provided ongoing support from government policies and strong partnerships with local municipalities,” says Richard Lee, executive director of OGVG. “The sector’s impressive expansion has been propelled by robust demand from the U.S., driving sustained growth over the past decade.”