Sulphur in Canada: 10 Facts & Statistics

10 Canadian Sulphur Facts 

#1 - Canada was the fifth-largest sulphur exporter in the world in 2024, accounting for more than 7% of global exports ^[4]

#2 - Canada was a top ten sulphur producer 2025 ^[13], producing more than 4.43 million tonnes and averaging between 314,000 and 420,000 tonnes per month ^[1]

#3 - Canada exported $1.45 billion of sulphur in 2025, making it the 76th most exported product out of 1,212 in the country ^[4]

#4 - Canada’s main sulphur export destinations in 2025 included: China ($441 Million), the United States ($382 million), Australia ($193 million), Indonesia ($135 million), and Cuba ($79.9 million) ^[4]

#5 - The fastest growing markets for Canadian sulphur exports between 2024 and 2025 were China ($335 million), the United States ($238 million), and Australia ($144 million) ^[4]

#6 - Canada’s sulphur market is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 5.1% from 2025 to 2030, making it the fastest-growing regional market in North America ^[5]

#7 - A large majority of Canadian sulphur is produced in Alberta, as it is a by-product of sour gas processing, oil sands upgrading, and refinery operations ^[8]

#8 - Canada’s major oil and gas companies are the largest sulphur producers in the country, supporting both domestic and international markets with the much-needed commodity that’s integral to a variety of industrial processes – including the manufacturing of phosphate and sulphate fertilizers that support global food production ^[9][10]

#9 - Approximately 3.5 million tonnes of Canadian sulphur was exported through the Port of Vancouver in 2025, accounting for a significant share of Canada’s total sulphur production every year ^[11]

#10 - The Port of Vancouver’s sulphur exports grew by 5% year-over-year in 2025, reaching diverse world markets including Brazil, China, and Indonesia ^[11]

Where is Sulphur Found in Canada?

Sulphur is mainly found in-situ within the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, which encompasses parts of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Alberta is the largest producer of sulphur, producing about 4 million tonnes per year, whereas British Columbia is the second-largest producer but produces much less every year ^[3]. The element has also been recovered from heavy oil upgrading in Saskatchewan in the past ^[6].

History of Sulphur in Canada

Although some smaller projects existed before Canada's energy industry emerged, sulphur production proliferated as a byproduct of natural gas and oil extraction.

Canada's sulphur production history goes back more than a century. In 1921, the first plant in Canada to chemically scrub hydrogen sulphide (H2S) from sour natural gas was built in Turner Valley, Alberta. However, it wasn't until 1952 that the first plant to extract H2S from natural gas and convert it to sulphur was built at Jumping Pound, just west of Calgary ^[7].

Since the mid-1970s, and especially since the mid-1990s, a drop in sulphur exports has led to the creation of stockpiles in the form of large blocks, chiefly in Alberta. In 1981, these blocks contained more than 20 million tonnes of solidified sulphur reserves, which were reduced to less than 3 million tonnes in the early 1990s due to rising global demand.

Today, sulphur is in high demand worldwide. With recent supply chain disruptions in the Middle East, where approximately 50% of global seaborne sulphur transits the Strait of Hormuz ^[12], Canada’s role as a major producer and exporter has never been more important.

What is Sulphur Used For?

Sulphur is a versatile element with many different uses across various industries.

The most common use of sulphur is in the production of fertilizers, which are essential for meeting global food demand. It is also used as an ingredient in fungicides and pesticides to protect crops from disease and insects.

In the rubber industry, sulphur is used as a vulcanizing agent, which improves the elasticity and strength of rubber products. The pharmaceutical industry also uses sulphur as a key component in the production of certain drugs and supplements.

In the metal industry, sulphur is used to produce steel and other alloys, and to extract precious metals such as gold and silver. Additionally, the element is a key component in the manufacturing of batteries and fireworks ^[7]. 

Join Us Today!

We invite you to join us on X, Instagram and Facebook to learn more about the positive influence natural resources have on our lives and how we should be a global supplier of choice for oil, natural gas, minerals, metals, forestry and agricultural products, and everything in between!

The world needs more Canadian energy. pic.twitter.com/CgD5ct7XS7

— Canada Action (@CanadaAction) May 16, 2026

SOURCES

_{1 – https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=2510003601&pickMembers%5B0%5D=1.1&cubeTimeFrame.startMonth=01&cubeTimeFrame.startYear=2025&cubeTimeFrame.endMonth=02&cubeTimeFrame.endYear=2026&referencePeriods=20250101%2C20260201}

_{2 – https://natural-resources.canada.ca/maps-tools-publications/publications/mineral-trade}

_{3 - https://www.ualberta.ca/earth-sciences/facilities/collections-and-museums/minerals-of-alberta/sulfur.html}

_{4 - https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-product/sulphur/reporter/can}

_{5 - https://www.grandviewresearch.com/horizon/outlook/elemental-sulfur-market/canada}

_{6 - - https://www.cheminst.ca/magazine/article/drilling-into-canadas-petroleum-history/}

_{7 - https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/sulphur}

_{8 – https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ef501224x}

_{9 – https://www.nuroil.com/sulphur-production-and-uses}

_{10 – https://www.sulphurinstitute.org/about-sulphur/introduction-to-sulphur/}

_{11 – https://www.portvancouver.com/article/port-vancouver-moves-record-cargo-2025-delivering-more-what-canadians-make-mine-harvest-and}

_{12 - https://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/04/beyond-oil-lng-commodities-impacted-closure-hormuz-strait/}

_{13 - https://www.statista.com/statistics/1031181/sulfur-production-globally-by-country/}