‘60 days to vacate the land’: Maple syrup producer in sticky battle with Nova Scotia

A maple syrup producer in Aylesford, N.S., is fighting orders to shut down by the Department of Natural Resources.

Most of the taps have been removed from the trees for the season at Hutchinson Acres.

The Aylesford, N.S., maple producer is pleased with how the sap has been running.

“We produce on a good year 75,000 litres,” says Chris Hutchinson, one of the owners.

This year, however, could be the Hutchinson Acre’s last.

For more than 20 years, they have been leasing Crown land from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

They’re currently two-to-three years into a 10-year lease, but three weeks ago they got a letter from the DNR telling them they had to get off the land by May 2.

“There are 600 km of tubing here, we’re not going to pick up 600 km of tubing and walk out of here. That represents probably 50 to 60 trailer loads. Can you imagine taking that to the dump and trying to get rid of it?” Hutchinson asks.

Hutchinson Acres is the largest certified organic maple syrup producer in the province.

Earlier this year, they had been working with the province’s Department of Agriculture to expand their markets at trade shows in Riyadh and Dubai.

Anna Hutchinson says she was surprised to receive the letter from DNR.

“They went to the embassy in Riyadh, and they showed my product there and then they are promoting it with Nova Scotia Loyal. The contacts that I received from that show in Dubai, I’m having to tell them no, I can’t supply you,” she says.

Natural Resources Minister Kim Masland says in a statement to CTV News Atlantic: “The Province gave notice that the Crown land leases held by Hutchinson Acres will end on May 2, 2026. This notice came after the company failed to meet the terms of its lease agreements.”

She says they tried on “numerous occasions” to work with the company to find a solution but an agreement couldn’t be reached.

“The Province maintained the leases for two years after the company was placed in receivership by its lender, giving the company more time to try to resolve the situation,” she says.

Masland’s statement was backed up by Premier Tim Houston.

“My general understanding is that they had been leasing the land, there were some conditions to the lease maybe that weren’t met by the proponent so there’s some action being taken by the province,” he says.

Anna Hutchinson says they have invested more than $2 million in their operation. For now, they say they’re not moving.

Shipments of maple syrup are going out this week to Costa Rica and Holland.

They’re hoping it won’t be their last. The Hutchinsons are fighting to keep the taps open.

The matter is currently before the courts where they’re asking for their lease to be moved over to the Department of Agriculture from Natural Resources.

If they win, they say they’ll be able to stay open.

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page