100% pure maple syrup proudly produced in Vanier
A tradition since 1939
This tradition began in 1939 when the White Fathers, missionaries in Africa, recognized the potential for maple syrup production on their estate, which now partially encompasses Richelieu Park.
Just as in the past, the maple syrup “sugaring parties” in Vanier are made possible thanks to the involvement of numerous curious and dedicated volunteers, as well as the committed staff of the Vanier Museopark. Their enthusiasm, expertise, and dedication are essential to the success of this great adventure. Each bottle of maple syrup leaving our Sugar Shack carries a bit of their energy and passion
An artisanal and local production
At the Vanier Sugar Shack, our pure maple syrup is proudly crafted using traditional methods. Unlike most large-scale sugar shacks that use plastic tubing, we rely on spiles and buckets, just like the White Fathers did.
The sugaring off season starts with tapping the maples, a crucial step involving a small incision in the bark of sugar maples to collect their slightly sweet sap. During our community tapping event, the Museopark’s team and hundreds of volunteers, young and old, manage to complete around 500 taps and hang an equal number of buckets on the maples in Richelieu Park’s forest. This collective effort is essential to syrup production at the Vanier Sugar Shack.
We perform the tapping in mid-February each year. Since our sugar bush is located in an urban center, our maple season starts slightly earlier than others due to urban heat islands.
In spring, the freeze-thaw cycle activates the flow of sap, allowing us to harvest the sap from the buckets attached to the trees. At this stage, the Museopark calls on the community to lend a hand in collecting the sap. The sap is then transported to the Sugar Shack, stored in large stainless steel tanks, and prepared for the magic to happen.
The sap, initially clear and watery, is boiled in a large evaporator heated by natural gas, under the watchful eye of our volunteer maple syrup producers. These volunteers have been actively involved for years, monitoring and adjusting the temperature to achieve the perfect consistency and sugar content (measured in Brix). Throughout this phase, a sweet aroma fills the Sugar Shack, and the transformation of sap into pure, colorful syrup – from golden to amber – takes place under their expert hands.
The syrup is then bottled in sterilized bottles, proudly labeled with our branding. Depending on the season, an average of 400 bottles of maple syrup is produced annually at the Vanier Sugar Shack!
There’s a bit of you in our maple syrup!
At the Vanier Museopark, we like to say that there’s a bit of our volunteers in every bottle of our maple syrup. Their contributions go beyond simply harvesting sap or monitoring the boiling process; they embody the very spirit of the Sugar Shack’s mission that is to share and preserve a living maple syrup traditions by actively involving the community.
We extend heartfelt thanks to everyone who chooses to participate, whether they’re first-time or long-time volunteers, in keeping this French Canadian heritage alive.
The maple syrup we produce is more than a local product; it’s the result of a human collaboration and a shared passion for our natural and cultural heritage.
If you’d like to discover this tradition up close or even participate in making our syrup, we invite you to become a volunteer at the Vanier Museopark.
The maple syrup from the Vanier Sugar Shack – the only urban sugar shack in the country – is available for purchase at the museum and the Sugar Shack gift shops. Stock up while you can; our supplies sell out quickly!
Did you know?
It takes 40 liters of maple sap to produce just one liter of syrup!
The Vanier Sugar Shack is the only urban sugar shack in Canada and produces an average of 400 liters of maple syrup each year!
Between 16,000 and 40,000 liters of maple sap are collected annually in Vanier!
The taste and color of maple syrup evolve throughout the maple season: its color darkens, and its flavor becomes more pronounced!
Canada produces over 75% of the world’s maple syrup.
