Stop worrying about trees: Canada has 36 million acres more than we thought

Jul 06, 2022

OTTAWA — While environmentalists discourage farms from clearing their land, they should take heart in knowing that Canada has just discovered it has 36 million more acres of trees than we thought.

The Department of Natural Resources counted 858 million acres of trees. But when it recalculated tree cover, thanks in part to improved satellite imagery, the department found an additional 36 million acres. So, Canada has 894 million acres of trees.

Canada has the third-largest tree cover of all nations on earth. Only Russia and Brazil have more. Canada has 9 per cent of the world’s forests and about 90 per cent of Canada’s trees are on crown land.

In its annual report, Natural Resources Canada said less than 0.5 percent of timber lands have been lost to logging and farming. In 2019, Canadian agriculture de-forested 55,000 acres, the report said. “The forest area of Canada is relatively stable, with less than 0.5% deforested since 1990.”

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Video: Independent Seed, National Impact | On The Brink: Episode 9

A survey of 200 independent seed businesses reveals what Canada's seed sector actually contributes — and what it stands to lose.

On the Brink, Justin Funk, a third-generation agri-marketer, shares the findings of a national survey conducted in early 2026. The numbers reframe the conversation: independent seed companies in Canada represent upwards of $1.7 billion in dedicated seed infrastructure, approximately 3,000 full-time equivalent jobs in rural communities, and an estimated $20 million in annual community contributions. And roughly 90% of Canada's cereals, pulses, and other small pollinated crops flow through them.

The survey also asked how dependent these businesses are on public plant breeding to survive. The answer was unambiguous. For policymakers evaluating the future of publicly funded breeding programs, Funk argues the economic case for this sector and the case for public plant breeding are the same argument.

On the Brink is a cross-country video series exploring the future of plant breeding in Canada. Each episode features voices from across the industry in an open, ongoing conversation about innovation and long-term investment in Canadian agriculture.