Statistics Canada recently released information about the 2016 Census of Agriculture. A general report summarizing trends in agriculture can be accessed on the Statistics Canada website. Commodity specific data was also released, including for the sheep industry. The national ewe flock was 526,286 head in 2016, an 8% decrease from 2011.
Decreases in animal numbers and farms reporting sheep were seen in most provinces. The most notable exception to this was Manitoba, which saw an increase of 43% in the number of sheep and lambs. The Alberta ewe flock decreased slightly by 2.3% to 90,281 head. Alberta remains the third largest producer of sheep and lambs, following Ontario and Quebec. Within Alberta, increases relative to 2011 were seen in the south of the province, while the north saw the most substantial decrease in sheep and lamb numbers. The largest producing regions remain the south-west and central areas. Click the links below for details.
National and Provincial Sheep Numbers/Farms
Sheep Numbers/Farms by Region in Alberta
Source: http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/a26?lang=eng&id=0040222&p2=33