Agriculture is a very important sector in Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) both culturally and economically, with gross farm receipts totalling $169,108,335 (2016 Census). With its unique combination of deep sandy soils and favourable microclimates, NOTL is well known for its vineyards and tender fruit farms. The entire Niagara Region is responsible for 90% of grape production in Ontario and is the largest wine producing region in Canada, making up 80% of Canada’s total grape and wine production.
The Region also has a successful network of cash crop and dairy farms as well as greenhouses that specialize in fresh flowers, fruit, vegetables and licensed cannabis growth with multiple agri-business processors and value-added services to support the entire industry.
As of 2016, the region’s agri-business sector was using just under 22 million square feet of greenhouse space in over 200 greenhouses. While greenhouses in Niagara Region have historically been focused on floriculture, there has been a 29% increase in vegetable production and a 57% increase in other greenhouse products, including licensed cannabis production for medicinal marijuana.
