Canadian winter wheat acres planted in the fall for harvest in 2026 are down from the previous year.
Statistics Canada crop production report released Thursday showed total national winter wheat planted area at 1.578 million acres, down about 113,000 or 6.6% from the 1.691 million planted in fall 2024 but still up from 1.466 million two years earlier.
In the largest winter wheat production province of Ontario, planted area is estimated at 1.12 million acres. That is down a relatively modest 5.3% from a year earlier but still above the 1.008 million planted for harvest in 2024 and fourth straight year producers in the province have exceeded the 1-million acre threshold.
Ontario growers enjoyed excellent fall planting conditions for the 2026 crop, but RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson said back in October that weak prices kept acres in check.
“Growers know the value of wheat in the rotation but still struggle to grow it given economics,” Johnson said then.
Alberta winter wheat planted area for harvest in 2026 is pegged at 149,200 acres, down from 200,800 the previous year and the lowest since 122,300 went into the ground for harvest in 2020.
Saskatchewan winter wheat area for harvest next year fell more than 2.5-fold to just 49,200 acres, the lowest in more than three decades. As recently as a decade ago, Saskatchewan producers were routinely planting at least 200,000 acres of winter wheat each fall, topping out at 600,000 for harvest in 2008.
Manitoba winter wheat planted area for harvest in 2026 fell for the third straight year, down 13.8% to 34,300 acres – the lowest in six years.
