Why it might be hard to find a Christmas tree this year
If you’re looking for a Christmas tree this holiday season, finding a traditional favourite might be harder than you think due to a continuing supply shortage.
Perry Grobe, the owner of Grobe’s Nursery and Garden Centre, says as of Monday the fan-favourite Fraser Fir is in short supply as growers have fewer trees to send to local nurseries.
“We've been accused of it being a marketing gimmick, but I think they'll find this year that it's not,” said Grobe. “They're absolutely going to find these trees won't be available from any source.”
Grobe expects Fraser Firs will be sold out at the Breslau nursery by the weekend.
“It's disheartening a little bit this year that we know we're going to be short and that there will be folks who are unhappy with it,” Grobe said
Shirley Brennan is the executive director of the Canadian Christmas Tree Association and the Christmas Tree Farmers of Ontario. She says there has been a decrease in trees planted over the last ten years while demand has grown.
“The younger generation love the natural. Anything natural – they really promote that,” Brennan told CTV News. “So, we're seeing the younger generation that are now moving into their own homes coming out.”
Brennan said the industry has exploded in growth since 2020 by $30 million across the country and from $12 million to $15 million in Ontario alone.
She expects supply and demand to balance out within the next couple of years.
“Nurseries, big box stores, things like that, they would’ve got their trees in,” said Brennan. “The difference is now, they can’t order the extra. We just don’t have the extra.”
The stronger demand and lower supply has seen prices increase, with the cheapest Fraser Fir at Grobe’s advertised at $69.99.
As a result, smaller and table top trees are growing in popularity according to Grobe and artificial tree sales are increasing, but haven’t supplanted their natural cousins.
Grobe is advising shoppers not to wait to pick out a tree to avoid disappointment.
“I think the danger for folks is that they may not find the availability of trees that will meet their expectation the later into December we go,” he said.
An early trip for a Christmas tree netted one shopper the perfect holiday centrepiece.
“I had staff help me. I'm here by myself, and I couldn't really see," said Dennis Boudreau. "It's so big and wide that it's right up in my face, so I couldn't see it at arm’s reach. So definitely had staff help me. They were really great."
Grobe expects the next two weeks to be the busiest time for Christmas tree shopping.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau to present health-care offer to premiers in long-awaited meeting for new deal
Canada's health care system is not working as well as it should and that has to change, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday as he prepared to meet the premiers to work on a new health-care funding deal.
Canadians now expect to need $1.7M in order to retire: BMO survey
Canadians now believe they need $1.7 million in savings in order to retire, a 20 per cent increase from 2020, according to a new BMO survey. The eye-watering figure is the largest sum since BMO first started surveying Canadians about their retirement expectations 13 years ago.
Quake deaths pass 5,000 as Turkiye, Syria seek survivors
Search teams and emergency aid from around the world poured into Turkiye and Syria on Tuesday as rescuers working in freezing temperatures dug, sometimes with their bare hands, through the remains of buildings flattened by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake. The death toll soared above 5,000 and was still expected to rise.
Why wasn't the suspected Chinese spy balloon shot down over Canada?
Critics say the U.S. and Canada had ample time to shoot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon as it drifted across North America. The alleged surveillance device initially approached North America near Alaska's Aleutian Islands on Jan 28. According to officials, it crossed into Canadian airspace on Jan. 30, travelling above the Northwest Territories, Alberta and Saskatchewan before re-entering the U.S. on Jan 31.
China says will 'safeguard interests' over balloon shootdown
China said Tuesday it will 'resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests' over the shooting down of a suspected Chinese spy balloon by the United States, as relations between the two countries deteriorate further. The balloon prompted U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel a highly-anticipated visit to Beijing this week that had offered slight hopes for an improvement in relations.
Thieves cut huge hole in Ottawa restaurant wall to get at jewelry store next door
An Ottawa restaurateur says he was shocked to find his restaurant broken into and even more surprised to discover a giant hole in the wall that led to the neighbouring jewelry store.
Nova Scotia man finds possible historic Killick anchor on beach
John Benoit of West Jeddore, N.S., says he has been beachcombing for over 50 years, but his most recent discovery -- a Killick anchor -- is by far his most memorable.
Quebec minister 'surprised' asylum seekers given free bus tickets from New York City
Quebec's immigration minister says she was 'surprised' to learn the City of New York is helping to provide free bus tickets to migrants heading north to claim asylum in Canada.
Will Biden's second state of the union mark a less protectionist approach to Canada?
A new poll suggests a majority of Canadians still see the United States as their country's closest ally, even in an age of isolationism and protectionist policies.
London
-
Fatal fire under investigation on Dundas Street
London police officers and fire officials are investigating after a fatal fire in the east end of the city Monday afternoon.
-
Collision downs powerlines in London, Ont.
The public is asked to avoid a section of Highbury Avenue after a vehicle collision downed powerlines in the area.
-
London’s housing crisis demands 47,000 new homes — 40 per cent are approved but still unbuilt
An aggressive plan to address London, Ont.’s housing crisis has been unveiled by city hall, but meeting the construction targets will require doing things differently.
Windsor
-
Fatal crash in Kingsville claims two lives, injures third
Two people have died in a serious single-vehicle crash in Kingsville, a third person was injured and transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
-
City committee recommends approval of 387-unit housing development at former Fogolar Furlan site
A city committee unanimously endorsed re-zoning lands for a massive proposed housing development in central Windsor Monday night.
-
Woman accused of stealing trumpet worth over $5,000
Windsor police are looking for a female suspect after a trumpet theft at a Walker Road business.
Barrie
-
Female Barrie officer stabbed in face during crisis call
A 20-year-old female has been arrested for attempted murder after allegedly stabbing a Barrie police officer late Sunday night.
-
Clarksburg senior charged with child pornography offences
After a three-month-long investigation, a 69-year-old man was arrested on Feb. 2.
-
Freezing rain warning for central Ontario
Environment Canada expects to see freezing rain early this morning.
Northern Ontario
-
Netflix begins password sharing crackdown in Canada. What you need to know
Netflix users who have been sharing their passwords with friends and family members who live hundreds – or even thousands – of kilometres away won’t be able to do so for much longer, as the streaming service announced its plans to end password sharing.
-
U.S. 6-year-old who shot teacher allegedly tried to choke another
A 6-year-old Virginia boy who shot and wounded his first-grade teacher constantly cursed at staff and teachers, chased students around and tried to whip them with his belt and once choked another teacher 'until she couldn't breathe,' according to a legal notice filed by an attorney for the wounded teacher.
-
Canadians now expect to need $1.7M in order to retire: BMO survey
Canadians now believe they need $1.7 million in savings in order to retire, a 20 per cent increase from 2020, according to a new BMO survey. The eye-watering figure is the largest sum since BMO first started surveying Canadians about their retirement expectations 13 years ago.
Ottawa
-
Thieves cut huge hole in Ottawa restaurant wall to get at jewelry store next door
An Ottawa restaurateur says he was shocked to find his restaurant broken into and even more surprised to discover a giant hole in the wall that led to the neighbouring jewelry store.
-
EXCLUSIVE
EXCLUSIVE | Homeowners left with unfinished projects after Ottawa construction company suddenly closes
Homeowners and employees have been left reeling after an Orléans construction company suddenly closed its doors, walking away from half-built houses and projects worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
-
NEW THIS MORNING
NEW THIS MORNING | Stittsville family recounts barefoot escape from devastating fire
An Ottawa family fled a fire in their home Saturday barefoot and in their pyjamas, suffering frostbite in the bitter cold. They're now waiting for it to be safe to return and assess the damage.
Toronto
-
NEW DETAILS
NEW DETAILS | Video emerges of moments before former child actor was fatally run down on the Danforth
Surveillance video of the moments before a former child actor was run down by a vehicle on the Danforth has been obtained by CTV News Toronto as police search for the driver.
-
Family of slain Toronto tech CEO to announce 'significant' reward in unsolved murder case
Nearly five years after Matthew Staikos was gunned down in Toronto, the family of the tech CEO is offering up a “significant” reward in the unsolved murder case.
-
Man arrested after 2 TTC riders sexually assaulted on Bloor-Danforth Line
A 56-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly committing two sexual assaults on the TTC’s Line 2, police said Tuesday.
Montreal
-
Teen hit and killed by snow loader in Laval shopping mall parking lot while at work
A 16-year-old boy has died after being struck by a snow clearing truck in the parking lot of Les Galeries Laval shopping mall on Monday night.
-
Iranian prisoner sponsored by Quebec MNA released
The Iranian prisoner sponsored by Quebec MNA Ruba Ghazal has been released, it was learned Monday. Bita Haghani, a young blogger arrested in October, had been sentenced to 18 years in prison.
-
Man killed, 2 police officers injured in fire south of Montreal
An elderly man is dead after a house fire in the small town of Saint-Philippe, about 30 kilometres south of Montreal. Roussillon police confirmed that the fire started around 8 p.m. in a home on Saint-Andre Road.
Atlantic
-
Hundreds of Maritimers still dealing with burst pipes, power outages following record-low temperatures
Hundreds of Nova Scotians are still without power on Monday following frigid temperatures and high winds over the weekend.
-
Frustration with Nova Scotia Power surges after rate increases, weekend outages
A Cape Breton councillor feels with a 14 per cent increase now granted to Nova Scotia Power and millions of dollars in profits annually, residents shouldn't be paying out hundreds of dollars to operate a generator to keep the lights on.
-
Arctic air breaks decades-old low temperature records in the Maritimes
While relatively short-lived, the blast of Arctic air in the Maritimes was enough to break some long-standing low temperature records for all three Maritime provinces for both Friday and Saturday.
Winnipeg
-
'Absolute cash grab': Winnipeg residents upset with construction zone speed trap
The province is building an interchange at St Mary's Road and the South Perimeter to help traffic flow better, but some drivers who live in the area aren't happy with how speed limits are being enforced in a portion of this construction zone.
-
Link alleged between two Winnipeg homicides: police
The Winnipeg Police Service said it has linked two recent homicides in the city, with officers alleging the incidents were not random.
-
Quake deaths pass 5,000 as Turkiye, Syria seek survivors
Search teams and emergency aid from around the world poured into Turkiye and Syria on Tuesday as rescuers working in freezing temperatures dug, sometimes with their bare hands, through the remains of buildings flattened by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake. The death toll soared above 5,000 and was still expected to rise.
Calgary
-
Smith joins premiers in Ottawa to talk to Trudeau about health care, just transition
Canada's premiers are in Ottawa to meet with the prime minister over access to more health care funding. But that's not all Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has on her mind.
-
'Buildings are broken': Calgary man in Turkiye describes disaster scene post-earthquake
Calgarians at home and abroad are reeling in the wake of a massive earthquake that struck a war-torn region near the border of Turkiye and Syria.
-
New details emerge ahead of Trudeau-premiers' health-care meeting
As preparations are underway for the anticipated health-care 'working meeting' between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Canada's premiers on Tuesday, new details are emerging about how the much-anticipated federal-provincial gathering will unfold.
Edmonton
-
Trudeau to present health-care offer to premiers in long-awaited meeting for new deal
Canada's health care system is not working as well as it should and that has to change, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday as he prepared to meet the premiers to work on a new health-care funding deal.
-
Quake deaths pass 5,000 as Turkiye, Syria seek survivors
Search teams and emergency aid from around the world poured into Turkiye and Syria on Tuesday as rescuers working in freezing temperatures dug, sometimes with their bare hands, through the remains of buildings flattened by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake. The death toll soared above 5,000 and was still expected to rise.
-
N.W.T to complete curriculum transition by 2028, a 'sad commentary' for Alberta
After using Alberta's education curriculum since the 1950s, the Northwest Territories has outlined the timeline it will use to pivot toward British Columbia's program of studies.
Vancouver
-
'A largely absent resource': Those who call on Vancouver's police-based mental health team hope funding boost will improve service
There’s so much demand for Vancouver’s mental health emergency teams that people can be left waiting days, and sometimes teams never make it to requests for service at all. It’s hoped a funding boost to hire more staff will increase capacity of the service.
-
Dog named Kujo likely to 'kill or injure,' B.C. court rules in euthanasia decision
A dog named Kujo will be euthanized after a B.C. judge determined the animal is "likely to kill or injure" if released from the pound.
-
B.C. premier keeping an 'open mind' on eve of historic health summit in Ottawa
For more than two years, Canada’s premiers have been asking for a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to discuss a new healthcare funding model – and on Tuesday the group will finally get two hours of face time in Ottawa.