By Sebastian Kanally, Times Chronicle

Christmas trees are in short supply across the country this year, and people looking for the iconic Christmas symbol are feeling the impact in the South Okanagan. 

The Canadian Christmas Trees Association (CCTA) told the Times Chronicle that “we have been seeing a shortage across North America.” 

The shortage is the result of a nexus of factors such as “less trees going into the ground due to retirement or selling of farms,” and to “extreme weather patterns, and an increase in demand.” 

Since it takes eight to 12 years to grow a Christmas tree the size most people want, Christmas tree farmers have to plan ahead and many of them are retiring and therefore not planting. With inflation and the price of land increasing more people are selling their farms and less are entering the business. 

Despite this year’s hurdles, when asked about the business, the CCTA noted that their industry is still “very strong.” In 2020, Canada exported $78.8 million worth of trees to other countries, which equaled 2.6 million individual trees.

The numbers show few Christmas trees grown in Canada are from BC. On the federal government’s website they show 72 per cent are grown in Quebec, 14 per cent in New Brunswick, 11 per cent in Nova Scotia and all other provinces account for three per cent. 

When asked what people should do if they are still looking for a tree this late in the season, the CCTA gave a single resounding answer, “support your local farmer.”

The droughts we have been seeing are taking a toll on the younger saplings in particular because they do not have roots large enough to penetrate below the top dry soil. 

If you are interested in heading out and cutting down your own tree you do need an official ‘Free Use Permit For a Christmas Tree’ from each Natural Resource District where you intend to cut. These permits can be found and downloaded at the ‘FrontCounterBC’ government website, under ‘application lists’ and ‘forests.’ When you download the permit it is presigned.

The permit is required to be on your person if an environmental officer were to stop you on Crown land. 

These permits only allow you on certain land as well; each Natural Resource District is a separate entity thus it is necessary to do your research beforehand. 

On Osoyoos Indian Band land, cutting down trees is reserved for band members only.