The Canadian Christmas Tree Growers Association (CCTGA) is a trade group for

Christmas tree farmers Christmas tree cultivation is an agricultural, forestry, and horticultural occupation which involves growing pine, spruce, and fir trees specifically for use as Christmas trees. The first Christmas tree farm was established in 1901, but mo ...

in Canada. It was founded in 1972 and describes itself as an umbrella organization for the various provincial tree growers associations.

History

The Canadian Christmas Tree Growers Association was founded in 1972 with Richard Lord as its first president.Sandberg, Anders L. and Clancy, Peter L. ''Against the Grain: Foresters and Politics in Nova Scotia'',
Google Books
, UBC Press, 2000, pp. 228-229, (). In Lord's view it was a forest products trade dispute with the United States in 1986 that brought the CCTGA "into its own". Twice the organization has run a donated

Christmas tree A Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen conifer, such as a spruce, pine or fir, or an artificial tree of similar appearance, associated with the celebration of Christmas. The custom was further developed in early modern ...

program. Initiatives by the CCTGA in both 2007 and 2008 donated thousands of Christmas trees to the families of members of the armed forces serving in Afghanistan over the holiday season.Minister MacKay helps donate Christmas Trees to Military Families
", ( Press release), ''Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency'', December 7, 2007, accessed April 5, 2009.PM supports the Christmas Trees for Troop Families program
", (Press release), ''

Prime Minister of Canada The prime minister of Canada (french: premier ministre du Canada, link=no) is the head of government of Canada. Under the Westminster system, the prime minister governs with the Confidence and supply, confidence of a majority the elected Hou ...

'', December 5, 2008, accessed April 5, 2009. The 2008 "Trees for Troops" program garnered mention in a speech by Canadian Prime Minister

Stephen Harper Stephen Joseph Harper (born April 30, 1959) is a Canadian politician who served as the 22nd prime minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015. Harper is the first and only prime minister to come from the modern-day Conservative Party of Canada, ...

in Petawawa, Ontario on December 5.

Description

The CCTGA describes itself as the "umbrella organization" of the various provincial Christmas Tree Growers Associations in Canada.Who We Are
", ''Canadian Christmas Tree Growers Association'', accessed April 5, 2009. There are provincial associations in

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

, and a prairie association with both

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada, western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on t ...

and

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

members.Canada's Provincial Christmas Tree Associations
", ''Canadian Christmas Tree Growers Association'', accessed April 5, 2009.

References

External links

Canadian Christmas Tree Growers Association
official site {{Christmas trees Christmas tree production Trade associations based in Canada Christmas organizations Forest products companies of Canada