Why Manitoba may have less local maple syrup this year

Manitoba will see a low volume of local syrup this year due to the weather.

Maple syrup is a staple for many Manitobans, whether they are enjoying a pancake breakfast or eating maple taffy at Festival du Voyaguer; however, this year there may be less local syrup available.

This lack of local syrup is due to the cold temperatures lasting longer than usual and the annual maple harvest only now getting underway.

Rolly Gagne, a volunteer with the St-Pierre-Jolys Museum, said the museum has been harvesting maple trees for decades.

He explained that in order to get maple water out of trees you need above zero temperatures during the day and below zero temperatures at night.

“We need those cold temperatures at night,” he said in an interview on Tuesday.

“What happens during the day, the sun comes in and just provides a nice warmth to the top of the trees and creates a pressure system to be able to draw that water up and down its vein as it’s clearing itself up, getting ready for the sap,” Gagne said.

He added that though production is now starting to pick up, the province is never able to produce enough syrup to keep up with the demand. He anticipates there will be a low volume of Manitoba maple syrup this year.

“We’ve got people just waiting. [They are] waiting to see if they are able to get half a gallon or a gallon,” he said.

“Again, we’re restricted on the amount. “

Gagne noted that Manitoba syrup producers don’t get anywhere close to the amount of syrup that is produced in Quebec or eastern Canada, but that Manitoba syrup has a special taste.

“We’re able to brag about the Manitoba maple syrup and how great it is compared to the maple syrup that comes from the northern United States, Ontario or Quebec,” he said.

“We all have regional tastes and ours is definitely a unique syrup.”