Every morning, Tom Stehr wakes up and heads straight into his maple shop. As he walks through the Huntsville, Ont., building, he passes displays of syrup memorabilia, Canadian flags and maple leaf decor. “I just fell in love with everything about maple,” Stehr says. “It’s totally Canadian. It’s iconic.”

For Stehr, Sugarbush Hill Maple Farm, represents more than just a business – it’s about offering authentic farm-to-table products to visitors that in turn builds the local economy.

“It’s important that local farmers are supported,” Stehr says. “If you really want to keep a place like this going, support an Ontario farmer.”

According to Stehr, business has grown by about 10% each year, with customers eager to connect with the people who make their food. Because of this growth, the team is planning to open a maple museum in 2026, which will be the first of its kind in the area.

Stehr says maple syrup production is often a mystery to many, but visiting a local producer gives people a chance to learn firsthand about the process.

“Agritourism is huge,” Stehr says. “On some weekends here, you can’t even get a parking spot.”

Stehr’s passion for maple syrup began in 2012 when he started his business, and by 2014, he was producing his own syrup. The shop also offers a variety of maple-based products, including barbecue sauce, mustard, candies, cotton candy and soft-serve ice cream.

One of the most popular times of the year at Sugarbush Hill is the annual Maple Weekend event. Hosted by Stehr, his partner Eva Chalk and the team, the event features free admission, a marshmallow roast and opportunities to make maple taffy.

Educational displays teach visitors about the history of maple syrup production and the use of maple trees by Indigenous Peoples, something Chalk feels passionate about. She says the event brings people to the region, boosting Muskoka tourism and supporting local businesses.

“The event grows the economy,” Chalk says. “People have to stay overnight somewhere. They’ve got to go eat in some restaurant. Doors are open for them down on Main Street.”

John Williams, executive director of the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers’ Association that represents over 600 “sugar makers” in the province, says the focus right now is on producers’ first harvests, as March is prime time for maple syrup production.

He says annual Maple Weekend events across the province April 5 and 6 provide Ontario residents with agritourism and consumer education.

Businesses like Sugarbush Hill in Huntsville rely on local support, Williams says. While political decisions – especially from the U.S. – could bring unexpected challenges, he says it is possible for Ontario producers to benefit from the “buy Canadian” and “support local” movements.

“The more rural economic activity we have, I think the better our regions are,” he says. “The money (maple producers) make, most of that just circulates in the local economy.”

Canada produces approximately 70% of the world’s maple syrup, according to Statistics Canada. On average, Quebec produces between 85 and 95% of the country’s maple syrup annually. Ontario typically accounts for less than 5% each year.

Amid trade tensions between Canada and the U.S., Williams says larger maple exporters may be more affected, but most Ontario producers who sell locally will likely see only indirect effects.

However, if Donald Trump were to specifically target maple syrup as a symbolic Canadian product, it could create serious trade issues for the industry, he adds.

“Trump is such a wild card,” Williams says. “I do worry a bit about the supply management having a target on its back because it would lead to less family-scale or smaller-scale businesses operating in the countryside.”

Both Stehr and Williams say the impact of “support local” movements on the Ontario maple industry is still unclear, but it may become evident as the season peaks with Maple Weekend in early April and the Muskoka Maple Festival April 26.

Sugarbush Hill Maple Farm is located at 2389 Muskoka District Road 10 in Huntsville, about three hours north of Toronto.

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