Canola Farming in Canada: 20 Facts & Statistics

Canola Farming in Canada: 20 Facts & Statistics

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Canola farming in Canada - facts and statistics

Canola, a name that combines "Canada" and "ola" (for oil), is a cornerstone of Canadian agriculture and a significant contributor to the national economy. Developed by Canadian scientists in the 1970s, it has grown to become one of the most important field crops in the country.

Each year, approximately 40,000 Canadian farmers, primarily in the prairie provinces of Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba, cultivate around 20 million tonnes of canola. This dedicated production not only supports farming families and rural communities, but also fuels a thriving domestic processing industry.

The economic impact of the canola sector is huge, generating nearly $44 billion in economic activity annually. From raw seed to final product, the canola value chain creates jobs and prosperity across Canada, making it a true Canadian success story.

Below, we take a look at several facts and statistics on canola farming in Canada, taken from only the most reputable sources across the web. Also see:

20 Canadian Canola Farming Facts

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#1 - Canada’s canola sector plays an integral role in the national economy, generating nearly $44 billion in economic activity per year [5]

#2 - The canola industry creates positive economic impacts at every stage, including (annual averages 2020/21 – 2022/23) [5]:

  • Growing and developing seed - $25 billion
  • Processing and refining - $8.2 billion
  • Domestic markets - $7.6 billion
  • Food end uses - $4.7 billion
  • Transportation - $2.3 billion
  • Biofuel production - $1.4 billion
  • Livestock benefits - $1.2 billion
  • Elevation - $350 million
  • Bottling & packing - $340 million
  • Port activities - $290 million

#3 - The canola sector has an economic impact across the country, including (annual averages 2020/21 – 2022/23) [5]:

  • British Columbia - $627 million – 2,365 jobs
  • Alberta - $11.9 billion – 66,980 jobs
  • Saskatchewan - $19.8 billion – 91,705 jobs
  • Manitoba - $6.7 billion – 35,067
  • Ontario - $3 billion – 4,759
  • Quebec - $1.4 billion – 2,601
  • Maritimes - $205 million – 299

#4 - Canada produces more than 30% of the world’s canola supply and accounts for around 60% of the global trade of canola [2]

#5 - Approximately 40,000 Canadian farmers across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and some parts of British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec, produce roughly 20 million tonnes of canola every year [1]

#6 - Canola is one of Canada’s leading agricultural exports, and accounts for more than 206,000 jobs nationwide [2]

#7 - Canada’s canola industry pays out $16.3 billion in wages annually, supporting Canadian farmers and supply chain workers across the country

#8 - Over the past decade, wage impacts of the canola sector have increased by more than 80% [5]

#9 - In 2024, Canada exported $7.7 billion in canola to the U.S., and an additional $4.9 billion to China [4]

#10 - Approximately 90% of Canadian-grown canola is exported for consumption in global markets [1]

#11 - Canada’s canola sector is growing, with its total economic impact doubling over the past decade, increasing by $30.5 billion [5]

#12 - As of the 2022/2023 season, domestic canola processing and refining has expanded considerably, now generating more than six times the economic impact [5]

#13 - Biofuel production from canola is an emerging economic sector in the Canadian economy, increasing from $70 million a decade ago to $1.1 billion as of the 2022-23 season [5]

#14 - Today, more than 50 nations abroad import canola seed, oil and meal from Canada; the U.S. is the biggest buyer of canola meal, while China, Japan, and Mexico are the largest importers of raw seeds [1]

#15 - Canola is one of Canada’s most widely grown crops, accounting for about one-quarter of all farm crop receipts annually [1]

#16 - In 2024, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba were the largest canola producers, accounting for 55%, 29%, and 16% of production, respectively [3]

#17 - A total of 14 crushing and refining plants across Canada can crush about 13 million tonnes of canola seed annually. These facilities are owned by five separate companies and are located mostly in the prairie provinces, with a few facilities also situated in Ontario and Quebec [1].

#18 - Alberta alone is home to 14,000 farmers who grow canola on nearly 6.7 million acres of farmland [2]

#19 - Canola directly employs more than 40,190 Albertans and has an economic impact of $13 billion in Alberta alone [2]

#20 - Canola was developed in the 1970s in Canada, specifically by plant breeders in Saskatchewan and Manitoba [6]

What is Canola Used For?

The primary use of the canola seed is to produce vegetable oil, a.k.a “canola” oil. After the seeds are crushed, the resulting oil is widely used in cooking, baking, and food processing around the world.

The remaining solid portion, known as canola meal, is a high-protein product that is a valuable component of animal feed. Livestock, poultry, and fish all benefit from the nutritional value of canola meal in their diets.

In addition to its food and feed applications, canola is increasingly being used for the production of biofuel. This renewable energy source represents a growing and vital market for Canadian canola.

Canola Oil: A Canadian-Made AG Product

The story of canola oil begins with rapeseed. In the 1970s, Canadian scientists Dr. Baldur R. Stefansson of the University of Manitoba and Dr. Keith Downey of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada embarked on a mission to improve rapeseed through traditional plant breeding [7], to create a new seed crop that produced a healthier, edible oil for human consumption.

Through years of careful selection, they developed a variety of new seeds with significantly lower levels of erucic acid and glucosinolates, two compounds that made traditional rapeseed oil unsuitable for food use. The new plant was a triumph of conventional cross-breeding, where the resulting oil was low in saturated fat and high in healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats [8].

To distinguish this new, improved crop from its ancestor, the name "canola" was created, combining "Can" for Canada and "ola" for oil. This distinctly Canadian brand has since become a global success, representing a landmark achievement in Canadian agricultural innovation. Canola oil is now a staple in kitchens worldwide, celebrated for its health benefits and Canadian origins.

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SOURCES:

1 – https://www.canolacouncil.org/about-canola/industry/

2 – https://albertacanola.com/about/canola-statistics/

3 – https://www.canolacouncil.org/markets-stats/

4 - https://www.canolacouncil.org/markets-stats/top-markets/

5 - https://www.canolacouncil.org/about-canola/economic-impact/

6 - https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/96-325-x/2007000/article/10778-eng.htm

7 - https://www.canolacouncil.org/canola-encyclopedia/history-of-canola-seed-development/

8 - https://cwf.ca/research/publications/our-west-the-canola-story/