Maple syrup producers concerned about reputation after investigation reveals watered-down product

Maple syrup is filtered at Erabliere Cote et Fils in Roxton Pond, Que., on Monday, March 9, 2026. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press)

Agriculture producers union (UPA) President Martin Caron says he is concerned about potential reputational damage to maple syrup producers following Radio-Canada’s revelation that one of them, Steve Bourdeau of Saint-Chrysostome in Quebec’s Montérégie region, was “cutting” his maple syrup with up to 50 per cent of cane sugar.

“Maple syrup producers take pride in their work. They are guardians of a heritage passed down through generations,” he said in an interview with The Canadian Press on Thursday.

“When a situation like this arises, people may start to question the entire community, which prides itself on producing a quality product. Overnight, it casts doubt on everything.”

“I can understand people, consumers who are asking questions,” he continued, “but I want to reassure them at the same time because people do put their names on the labels. It’s a source of pride. In Quebec, we put our names on silos and farms, and maple syrup producers are also proud to put their maple groves on the cans. A producer wants to have a quality product in that regard.”

He notes that the incident comes at a time when maple syrup consumption is on the rise, not only in Quebec but globally.

“This leads us to say that, whether with the Ministry of Agriculture (of Quebec) or with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, we will have to find a way to exercise greater control over these aspects to prevent this from happening,” he suggested.

A marginal sales practice

He points out that all the syrup in what the industry calls the “strategic maple syrup reserve” is analyzed before it is stored.

“The people there haven’t had any adulterated syrup in I don’t know how many years,” he said. “There’s never been anything. People who send in containers have tests carried out. There has been no adulteration. The strategic reserve currently has a truly effective control system.”

Bourdeau, on the other hand, sold his syrup directly to retailers and grocers, bypassing the controls of the Quebec Maple Syrup Producers Association (PPAQ).

Only two per cent of maple syrup volumes are distributed this way.

This is the first time in history that the PPAQ has been confronted with a case of maple syrup being watered down.

Stakeholders argue the reputation of Quebec producers is crucial in a market where Quebec accounts for 72 per cent of global production.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 16, 2025.