TRCA Invites Communities to Celebrate a
Beloved Canadian Tradition
March 5, 2026 – Toronto, ON – After an intense winter, maple season has arrived across the Greater Toronto Area, bringing with it one of the region’s most anticipated spring experiences. Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) is excited to welcome visitors back to the Sugarbush Maple Syrup Festival at both Bruce’s Mill Conservation Park and Kortright Centre for Conservation.
The festival runs on weekends, throughout March Break, and into early April, perfectly timed with Ontario’s brief maple sugaring season. It attracts thousands of attendees each year and supports local tourism in Stouffville, Woodbridge, and nearby communities.
TRCA’s Sugarbush Maple Syrup Festival offers visitors a unique outdoor experience that combines history, education, and culture.
Guests can take self‑guided walks through scenic sugarbush trails at both Bruce’s Mill and Kortright, observe how sap is collected and transformed into maple syrup, and explore demonstrations that highlight historical and contemporary production methods.
Festival programming also recognizes the tradition’s Indigenous origins and showcases the deep roots of maple syrup production in Indigenous knowledge and practices. Demonstrations of sap collection and processing reflect both traditional techniques as they are understood today and modern methods now used in maple syrup production.
This year, the festival features horse‑drawn wagon rides generously sponsored by 407 ETR, live entertainment, and classic maple treats such as fresh maple syrup samples and pancakes. Locally produced maple products are also available for purchase on-site.
This annual event is a community touchstone, connecting people with Ontario’s maple syrup‑making heritage. Join TRCA to support local destinations, celebrate a distinctly Canadian tradition, and enjoy some of the season’s sweetest treats while spending time outdoors with family and friends.
For tickets and more information, visit: trca.ca/activities/maple-syrup-festival.
Quote:
“TRCA’s Sugarbush Maple Syrup Festival is one of the region’s largest and most beloved seasonal events, bringing families and communities together to celebrate Ontario’s rich maple syrup heritage. By showcasing historical production methods and immersive learning experiences about our cultural and natural heritage, the festival reflects TRCA’s commitment to engaging communities in meaningful, place-based education.”
– John MacKenzie, Chief Executive Officer, TRCA
About Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA)
Since 1957, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), as enabled through the provincial Conservation Authorities Act, has taken action to enhance our region’s natural environment and protect our land, water, and communities from the impacts of flooding and increasingly extreme weather events – Ontario’s leading cause of public emergencies.
As the region’s first line of defence against natural hazards, TRCA maintains vital infrastructure and provides programs and services that promote public health and safety, protecting people and property. TRCA mobilizes a science-based approach to provide sound policy advice, leveraging its position as a not-for-profit operating in the broader public sector to achieve collective impacts within our communities and across all levels of government.
TRCA’s dedication to its employees and sustainability has earned it recognition as both one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers and one of Canada’s Greenest Employers. These distinctions highlight TRCA’s commitment to fostering a supportive, innovative, and environmentally responsible workplace – dedicated to driving meaningful change and create lasting positive impacts in the communities it serves.
TRCA’s jurisdiction includes nine watersheds and their Lake Ontario shorelines, spanning six upper-tier and fifteen lower-tier municipalities and representing almost five million people, approximately 10% of Canada’s population.
To learn more about TRCA, visit trca.ca.
Media Contact
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA)
Afiya Jilani
Specialist, Communication and Media Relations
Communications, Marketing and Events
afiya.jilani@trca.ca
media@trca.ca