A red wooden grain elevator and steel bins beside a harvested field under a big blue Saskatchewan sky

Farming in Canada

From the Pacific to the Atlantic to the Arctic.

Ten provinces and three territories, each with its own crops, climate and rules. Here is what is farmed where, what the seasons look like and where to find official help.

L’agriculture au Canada : un guide des 10 provinces et 3 territoires.

On the farm this season · October

Fall run Ventes d’automne

Fall calf sales at auction marts
Corn and soybean harvest in the east
Thanksgiving weekend (second Monday of October)

Handy tool for October Grain bin & silo capacity calculator

Coming up · November

Fall work

Soil testing and fall fertilizer where it suits
Cattle move home for winter feeding

Timing shifts by region and year: the Prairies, the coast and the Maritimes can be weeks apart.

Province by province

Five regions, thirteen ways to farm.

Jump to a region, or scroll through them all. Each card links to that government’s own agriculture page.

West Coast Côte Ouest

British Columbia

Colombie-Britannique

Tree fruit & grapes
Berries
Dairy & poultry
Greenhouse vegetables
Cattle ranching

What’s farmed: Apples, cherries and wine grapes in the Okanagan; blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, dairy, poultry and greenhouse vegetables in the Fraser Valley; cattle ranches across the Interior; grain and canola in the Peace River country.
Climate & season: The mildest winters in Canada on the coast, hot dry summers in the Okanagan (most orchards are irrigated), colder Interior plateaus and a short, Prairie-style season in the Peace.
Good to know: Much of BC’s farmland is inside the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), which limits non-farm uses. Check a property’s ALR status before you buy.

BC agriculture and seafood

The Prairies Les Prairies

Alberta

Beef cattle & feedlots
Wheat
Canola
Barley
Irrigated crops

What’s farmed: Canada’s biggest beef cattle herd, with feedlots concentrated in the south; wheat, canola and barley across the province; irrigated sugar beets, potatoes, pulses and forages in the southern irrigation districts.
Climate & season: Dry in the south, where chinook winds bring warm spells in winter; wetter parkland in the centre; a shorter season in the Peace region in the north.
Good to know: Most of Canada’s irrigated farmland is in southern Alberta and is supplied through irrigation districts. Water rights matter as much as the land.

Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation

Saskatchewan

Spring wheat & durum
Canola
Lentils & peas
Oats, barley & flax
Cattle

What’s farmed: The largest share of Canada’s cropland: spring wheat, durum, canola, lentils, peas, oats, barley, flax and mustard, with cattle on mixed farms and grazing land. Most of Canada’s lentils and durum are grown here.
Climate & season: Long, cold winters and short, hot, sunny summers. The southwest (Palliser’s Triangle) is semi-arid, so moisture usually decides the yield.
Good to know: Land is usually bought and rented by the quarter section (160 acres). Grain moves to inland terminals and elevators, so check the haul distance to your nearest delivery point.

Saskatchewan agriculture

Manitoba

Wheat & canola
Soybeans & corn
Hogs
Potatoes
Oats

What’s farmed: Wheat, canola, oats, soybeans and corn, one of Canada’s largest hog sectors, potatoes grown for processing, and rich clay soils in the Red River Valley.
Climate & season: Very cold winters and warm, humid summers. The Red River Valley is prone to spring flooding after snowy winters.
Good to know: Winnipeg is home to the Canadian Grain Commission, which sets grain grades and licenses grain companies. It is the place to start if you have a grading dispute.

Manitoba Agriculture

Central Canada Centre du Canada

Ontario

Dairy, poultry & eggs
Corn & soybeans
Winter wheat
Greenhouse vegetables
Tender fruit & grapes

What’s farmed: More farms than any other province: dairy, poultry and eggs, grain corn, soybeans and winter wheat, greenhouse vegetables around Leamington, tender fruit and wine grapes in Niagara, and beef farms in the east and north.
Climate & season: The Great Lakes give the southwest one of the longest growing seasons in Canada. Northern Ontario (including the Clay Belt) has colder winters and a much shorter season.
Good to know: Ontario’s agriculture ministry publishes free crop, livestock and farm-business guides: a good first stop for new farmers.

Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness

Quebec

Québec

Dairy
Maple syrup
Hogs
Corn & soybeans
Berries

What’s farmed: More dairy farms than any other province, most of the world’s maple syrup, a large hog sector, grain corn and soybeans in the St. Lawrence Lowlands, blueberries around Lac-Saint-Jean and cranberries in Centre-du-Québec.
Climate & season: Warm summers and long, snowy winters. Most farming is in the St. Lawrence Lowlands, where the season is longest.
Good to know: French is the official language of Quebec. Farmland is protected by the Commission de protection du territoire agricole (CPTAQ), so non-farm use or subdividing needs its approval.

Quebec agriculture ministry (MAPAQ)

Atlantic Canada Canada atlantique

New Brunswick

Nouveau-Brunswick

Potatoes
Wild blueberries
Maple syrup
Dairy
Poultry

What’s farmed: Potatoes in the upper Saint John River valley, wild blueberries on the Acadian Peninsula, maple syrup (the second-largest producer after Quebec), dairy and poultry.
Climate & season: Cooler, damper summers than central Canada and snowy winters, moderated by the sea near the coast.
Good to know: New Brunswick is Canada’s only officially bilingual province, so government services and many buyers work in both English and French.

NB Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries

Nova Scotia

Nouvelle-Écosse

Wild blueberries
Apples
Dairy & poultry
Christmas trees
Grapes

What’s farmed: Wild blueberries, apples in the Annapolis Valley, dairy, poultry and eggs, balsam fir Christmas trees and a growing wine-grape sector.
Climate & season: A moderate maritime climate: cool summers, changeable winters and fog on the coast. The Annapolis Valley is the warmest farming area.
Good to know: Some of the best farmland is dykeland along the Bay of Fundy, first built by Acadian settlers and still protected by dykes and aboiteaux today.

Nova Scotia Agriculture

Prince Edward Island

Île-du-Prince-Édouard

Potatoes
Dairy
Beef
Grains in rotation
Blueberries

What’s farmed: Potatoes are the island’s biggest crop, grown in rotation with grains and forages, alongside dairy, beef and wild blueberries.
Climate & season: Maritime: mild summers and snowy winters. The red, sandy soils drain well but are easily eroded, so rotations and soil cover matter.
Good to know: PEI’s Lands Protection Act limits how much land one person or company can hold, and crop-rotation rules apply to potatoes. Check both before buying or renting land.

PEI Department of Agriculture

Newfoundland and Labrador

Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador

Dairy
Poultry & eggs
Root vegetables
Wild berries
Sheep & beef

What’s farmed: Dairy is the leading sector, followed by poultry and eggs, root vegetables, wild berries and small sheep and beef farms.
Climate & season: A cool, short season with rocky soils and strong maritime influence; good arable land is limited.
Good to know: Much of the province’s food is shipped in, and the province supports farmers who grow more locally. Ask about land and development programs before you start.

NL agriculture and agrifoods

The North Le Nord

Yukon

Hay & forage
Market vegetables
Eggs
Small livestock

What’s farmed: Hay and forage, market-garden vegetables, eggs and small livestock farms, mostly around Whitehorse and in the valleys.
Climate & season: Subarctic: very cold winters and a short frost-free season, offset by very long summer daylight.
Good to know: Agricultural land is applied for through the Government of Yukon, and its Agriculture Branch gives free farming advice.

Yukon: get advice on farming

Northwest Territories

Territoires du Nord-Ouest

Community gardens & greenhouses
Eggs
Potatoes
Wild harvest
Honey

What’s farmed: Community gardens and greenhouses in every region, commercial egg, potato and vegetable growers, market gardens around Hay River, honey, and wild harvests such as mushrooms and birch syrup.
Climate & season: Subarctic, with permafrost in many areas, long cold winters and almost round-the-clock daylight in midsummer.
Good to know: The territorial government publishes an agriculture sector profile and funding programs for small growers and farmers markets.

NWT agriculture sector profile

Nunavut

Country food
Arctic char & seafood
Community greenhouses

What’s farmed: Very little conventional farming. Food comes from Inuit harvesting of country food (such as caribou, Arctic char and seal), fishing and a few community greenhouse projects.
Climate & season: Arctic: permafrost and tundra, a very short summer and long, dark winters.
Good to know: Country food and harvesting are central to Inuit culture and food security. Harvesting is led by local hunters and trappers organizations.

Nunavut Country Food Distribution Program

Across Canada

A few things every Canadian farm shares.

Supply management

Dairy, chicken, turkey, eggs and hatching eggs are produced under provincial quota. Buying quota is often the biggest cost of starting in those sectors.

Acres and hectares

Canada is officially metric, but most farmers still talk in acres, bushels and pounds. Our grain converter and unit converter handle both.

Two official languages

English and French are both official languages of Canada. Federal programs are available in both, and French is the main language of farming in Quebec.

Agriculture and Agri-Food CanadaFederal programs, including AgriStability and AgriInvest.
Census of Agriculture (Statistics Canada)Official farm numbers for every province and region.
Canada’s Plant Hardiness SiteHardiness zone maps for anywhere in Canada.

Who do I call? Farm help directory

Find a vet, agronomist or auction mart

This guide is general information to help you find your way, not professional advice. Rules and programs change, so always check with the official source. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

Farming somewhere in Canada?

Use our free farm tools, or talk to the REALM team about machinery, livestock, land and finance.

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