Fraser Fir Plantation, Beauce Region, Quebec

2011 Canadian Annual Meeting a Positive Success           2011 Canadian Annual attendees                           Patrick Downey Photo Back Row,left to right:  Steve Downey, Daniel LeBlanc, Christian Vanasse, Sophie-Michelle Cyr, Brad Clements, Larry Downey, Jacques Rosseau, Claude Duke, Matt Wright Front Row, left to right:  Forrest Higgins, Kathy Higgins, Canadian President Myles MacPherson, President Elect for 2012- 2013 Arthur Loewen, Executive Director Lewis Downey, Stephan Perreault The Canadian Christmas Tree Growers Association had a productive meeting.  Issues like international Christmas tree movement health protocols, promotional activities for our natural, sustainable trees and business supports for the industry were all on the table and saw positive direction.  Much gratitude to our host Province, Quebec and their Provincial Association.  Next year, 2012, we are excited to see the Canadian Meeting hosted in British Columbia.

Open Letter From the Canadian Association Executive Director February 2011 Dear Directors, Following is the summary that was published in La Branche, the Québec Christmas Tree Growers Association bulletin. Dear members of the APANQ Christmas 2010 The harvest is done, the PR tour of the customers is almost completed and the only next move is to evaluate the good deeds you’ve done and rejoice about them, with the firm resolution to do better next year. The CCTGA, at their annual general meeting had approved the motion to repeat the promotional program known as the Trees for Troops’ Families who have a dear one fighting in Afghanistan during the Christmas holidays. November first was the set date to indicate when the number of trees needed for this arduous task. It required collaboration and generosity on your behalf, since the base asking for the largest quantity was again Valcartier. Nevertheless, the load was to be spread out between the CCTGA member provincial associations in order to give a chance to all to offer their generosity evenly. N.S. was to see after the bases in Gagetown, Greenwood and P.E.I. Their generosity went as far as also supplying 450 trees that were to be loaded onto a CN transport and headed towards N.B. en route to Valcartier, Quebec. It seems that Mother Nature can sometimes get in the game and slow down the efforts; because of heavy snow falls, N.B. had not managed to get their pledged 200 trees out to make it to the Trans-Canada Highway on time when the CN transport went by. N.B. did nonetheless see after the bases in Moncton and Goose Bay. Quebec did contribute their 1200 trees needed for Valcartier, Bagotville, Longue-Pointe Montreal and St-Jean-sur-Richelieu when the two CN transports toured the Eastern Townships and the Beauce regions on Dec. 2 to round up 600 trees to add to the N.S. load. Ontario accepted to see after Kingston, Ottawa, Meaford, Sudbury, North Bay, Trenton and Toronto. The Ontario Association also saw after the expanded needs for the Western provinces, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, Moose Jaw, Wainright and Cold Lake. The B.C. Tree Growers Association agreed to supply the bases on the other side of the Rockies. The Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta associations opted out of the commitment, claiming that the East was sending to their market areas cheap trees. That made them ashamed and not according to their criteria and was preventing them from keeping for themselves the local Christmas tree markets. Let us hope that they will reconsider their needed role in the CCTGA. During the official presentation on Dec. 3, 2010, we felt a warm welcome. The Honorable Minister Josée Verner accepted with pleasure to host the event for a third year. Many high dignitaries and personnel were representing troops on their base. They expressed their gratitude towards all the extremely generous tree growers. One lady stepped ahead despite the protocol to thank on her own behalf the producers for this wonderful fresh gift, a real expression full of generosity and moral support. She went as far as personally warmly shaking hands with Gabriel Savoie, Helen, my wife and with me. She guaranteed us that her partner, his brother and his uncle deployed in Afghanistan during the approaching holidays, would see the tree she picked out for her living room via Webcam and Skype. Pretty amazing, isn’t it! Here is the list of the contributors: inevitably, you will quickly recognize that they are always the same ones to pay the cost of promotions, which turns out very beneficial to all whether they are growers or retailers. Crête Plantations supplied two extra-large decorated wreaths for the official simultaneous presentations, one at Downey Nursery in Hatley, QC to Madame France Bonsant, BQ deputy of Stanstead-Compton. The other one was presented to the Honorable Josée Verner, PC, at Valcartier. Twenty regular size ones were given to hand out to the media and the radio stations. CN truck no: 1 Jean-Luc Beloin 25 trees, Larry Downey 76, Cedrick Cleary 125, Steve Downey 100, Stephane Perreault 12, Daniel Vanasse 15, Denis Brouillard 15, Serge Vaillancourt 86. CN truck no: 2 Benoît Labbé 50, J. J. Croteua25, Jacques Rousseau 50, Daniel Mercier 60, Marquis Patry contributed 50 fresh wreaths, Gabriel Savoie and a few from St-Jacques de Leeds contributed some 100 trees. Please note the willingness of Carole Tessier to participate in the campaign if she had been able to, but she did not have any available this year. Her own son is in Afghanistan for a third tour of duty and she felt that she, as a mother of a troop, deserved to receive a free symbolic tree. This year, the going wish used was expressed in these words “Don’t forget the reason for the season” (taken from the 500th anniversary of the first decorated live tree used in Riga) Even though you all produce the number one item to celebrate the Holidays, the Christmas tree, you know deep in your heart the full traditional use of your production. Thank you and if the Good Prime Minister very well wants it, next year, we will have to come up with another project to show our great generosity towards the promotion of the many qualities of our lovely fresh real trees full of the distinctive fragrance of Christmas. Sincerely, Lewis Downey

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For More Information Contact:

Myles MacPherson
President of the CCTGA
Boylston, N.S
(902) 533-2695

Patrick Potter
Vice-President
68 Tweedside Evergreen Lane
Harvey, New Brunswick
(506) 366-3898

Larry Downey, bilingual
Past President of the CCTGA
Cookshire-Eaton, Quebec
819-566-0319, bilingual

Fred Somerville
Somerville Nurseries
Everett, Ontario
705-435-6258 ext. 110

Chris Dickie, bilingual
INFOR Inc.
Fredericton, New Brunswick
506-450-8787


Arthur Loewen
British Columbia Christmas Tree Council
Chilliwack BC
604-793 3090

Matthew Wright
Christmas Tree Council of Nova Scotia
New Germany, NS
(902) 644-2401

Welcome to the Canadian Christmas Tree Growers Association's website. We have recently updated this site and included frequently-asked questions from people who purchase and are interested in Canadian Christmas trees and their production We have information for consumers and retailers as well as wholesale purchasers of Canadian Christmas trees We have included a lot of new information and over 225 pictures, from all parts of the country, representing the wide range of species and methods growers use to produce Christmas trees for your enjoyment Have a look at our Christmas Tree Life Cycle page. It explains many of the steps involved in growing Christmas trees The column on the right will give you access to each page of the website Happy reading

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