NEWS HIGHLIGHT
Ornamental sector
big and blooming
The ornamental sector contributes $ 14.6 billion to
Canada's economy. That's one of the findings from a national study
released yesterday by the Canadian Ornamental Horticulture Alliance.
The ornamental sector contributes $14.6 billion to Canada's economy.
That's one of the findings from a national study released yesterday by
the Canadian Ornamental Horticulture Alliance (COHA).
But the best is yet to come.
The study's authors state that "Canada's ornamental horticulture sector
has… significant potential to develop and expand." As Baby boomers
retire, they are expected to increase their spending on gardening to
levels between $7.8 billion and $14.4 billion annually between 2011 and
2021. And that's not only good news for Canada's economy, on account of
110,750 full-time equivalent jobs which the sector provides now and
which are set to grow over the next decade, but it's great news for
Canada's environment.
"The Canadian ornamental horticultural sector offers green solutions
for individuals, communities and institutions that want to create
better outdoor and indoor environments, contribute to a healthier
planet, improve property values and increase personal health," says Vic
Krahn, chairman of COHA and owner of Lakeshore Tree Farms in
Saskatchewan. Krahn noted that the study documents how ornamental
horticulture beautifies landscapes, fosters sustainable ecosystems,
enhances energy conservation, reduces the carbon footprint, contributes
to health, provides employment and creates wealth for Canadians.
Ornamentals are the only products of Canadian agriculture on which GST
and provincial sales taxes are collected, contributing an estimated
$850 million per year to governments' budgets.
This landmark national study was funded through Agriculture and
Agri-Food Canada under the Advancing Agriculture and Agri-Food program.
"Without the support of the program, we could not have completed this
ground-breaking research and documented just how important our sector
is now and how it will grow over the next decade," stated Chris
Andrews, senior staff resource for COHA. Deloitte was the consulting
firm chosen through a competitive bidding process to complete the study.
More information on the importance of the ornamentals sector to
Canada's economy and its role in improving the environment can be
obtained from COHA's new website at www.coha-acho.ca.
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