N.S. maple syrup producers get government aid after winter damage

The federal government and Nova Scotia’s provincial government have announced a joint investment of up to $950,000 to help Nova Scotia’s maple syrup producers with the cost of re-establishing sap collection systems damaged by unusually heavy snowfall during the winter of 2015.

Excessive snowfall in 2015 caused significant damage and severe setbacks for Nova Scotia’s maple syrup industry, according to a Government of Canada press release. In fact, approximately 40 percent of the trees could not be tapped in 2015 because of damage from extreme snow levels.

“We are committed to work with industry to ensure they have the necessary support in place to recover from extreme weather events. This initiative will help producers reduce their losses, while focusing on rebuilding their sap collection systems,” says Canada’s Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay.

Called the Canada-Nova Scotia Maple Sector Initiative, this aid is being delivered under the AgriRecovery Framework, which was designed to allow governments to respond to unforeseen disasters that result in extraordinary costs for producers.

“With this investment we are helping maple producers rebuild their operations that suffered damage from an especially harsh winter. We want to support producers as they recover and ensure they are able to grow the importance of their industry for Nova Scotia’s agriculture sector,” says Keith Colwell, Nova Scotia Agriculture Minister.

“The Maple Producers Association of Nova Scotia is very grateful for the support the federal and provincial governments have shown us after last year’s devastating amount of snow and the damage it caused for maple producers in Nova Scotia,” says Drew Hunter, president of the Maple Producers Association of Nova Scotia. “This funding will help our maple producers get back on their feet so they can look forward to a good production this spring and in the years to come.”