What’s in Season? Apples

Apples are one of the most widely grown fruits in Canada, with a fall harvest season and specialized storage that help keep them on Canadian grocery shelves for many months of the year. When you see “apples in season in Canada,” it usually refers to the main harvest in late summer and fall, plus the period when Canadian-grown apples are still available from controlled storage. Canadian apple growers work across several provinces to grow, harvest, store, and grade apples so that many popular varieties are available well beyond the harvest months. This guide explains when apples are in season in Canada, where they are grown, common Canadian varieties, how to buy and store them, basic nutrition information, and how apples are grown from orchard to store.​

At a Glance: When Are Apples in Season in Canada?

In Canada, apples are typically harvested from late summer through fall, with exact timing depending on the variety and the growing region. After harvest, many Canadian apples are stored in refrigerated or controlled-atmosphere rooms that slow ripening and help maintain quality for months. This means Canadian-grown apples can often be available from storage into late spring or even early summer, although timing and availability vary by province, variety, crop size, and year.​

• Harvest window: roughly August to November in major apple-growing regions.​
• Canadian crop availability from storage: often into late spring or early summer, depending on variety and storage conditions.​
• Availability can change from year to year based on weather, growing conditions, and demand.​

You can explore other seasonal fruits and vegetables in the broader “What’s in Season in Canada” guide on Canadian Food Focus.​

Where Are Apples Grown in Canada?

Apples are grown commercially in several provinces, mainly in regions with suitable climates and established orchard industries. Major producing areas include British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, and the Atlantic provinces.​

• British Columbia: Interior regions such as the Okanagan and other fruit-growing areas are important apple-producing zones.​
• Ontario: Southern Ontario, including the Niagara region and other fruit belts, is a primary apple-growing area.​
• Quebec: Apples are widely grown in warmer parts of the province as part of a strong tree fruit industry.​
• Atlantic provinces: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island also have commercial apple industries and contribute to the Canadian crop.​
• These regions supply apples to local markets, other provinces, and processing facilities that make juice, sauces, and other apple products.​

Canadian Apple Varieties

Popular Canadian Apple Varieties and When You’ll See Them

There are over 100 varieties of apples grown in Canada, and the list below highlights some common Canadian-grown apples you might find in your grocery store. Availability windows reflect typical patterns from key producing regions but are not guaranteed; they can vary by province, variety, and year. Many of these varieties are grown in both British Columbia and Eastern Canada, and controlled storage can extend their appearance in stores beyond harvest.​

Whether you want a juicy snack or a sturdy baking apple, browse our quick guide on the different apples varieties by taste, texture and best uses.

Other varieties grown in Canada include Sunrise, Jonagold, Salish, Nicola, Red Rome, Ginger Gold, Newtown Pippin, Jerseymac, Elstar, Braeburn, Russet, Red Prince, Shamrock, and Sinta, as well as several cider apple varieties.​

For more details on taste and best uses by variety, readers can visit a dedicated “Canadian Apple Varieties: Taste, Texture and Best Uses ” guide and regional grower resources, such as the Ontario Apple Growers’ usage guide.​

How to Buy Apples

Choosing apples with good quality and the right characteristics for how you plan to use them can make everyday meals and snacks easier. Look for firm apples with smooth, unwrinkled skin, and avoid bruises, soft spots, or broken skin. At the store, check labels and stickers for “Product of Canada” or provincial identifiers, which can help you find Canadian-grown apples when available.​ Get more tips in “How to Store Apples to Cut Food Waste.”

• Consider your main use and choose varieties accordingly:
• For eating fresh: sweeter, crisper apples such as Ambrosia, Honeycrisp, Royal Gala, Fuji, or many local snacking varieties work well.​
• For baking: firmer, more tart apples such as Granny Smith, Northern Spy, Idared, Cortland, or Crispin tend to hold their shape and flavour when cooked.​
• For sauces: softer apples like McIntosh, Empire, or Cortland break down nicely into smooth or chunky sauces.​

For a deeper dive, readers can explore “Canadian Apple Varieties: Taste, Texture and Best Uses” and a “Seasonal Apples and Your Grocery Budget in Canada” guide that looks at promotions, formats, and planning.​

How to Store Apples

Storing apples properly can help them stay fresh longer and reduce food waste at home. Apples sold in grocery stores are usually at or near peak ripeness and can keep for several weeks in the refrigerator when stored correctly.​

Refrigerator storage

• Keep apples in the fridge crisper drawer, ideally in a ventilated plastic bag or container.​
• Store them away from other fruits and vegetables when possible because apples give off ethylene gas, which can speed ripening of other produce.​
• Check the drawer regularly and remove any damaged or spoiled apples to prevent them from affecting the rest.​

Freezer storage

Apples freeze well and can be handy for smoothies and baking. For easier use, peel and core apples if you wish, then slice or dice to the size you typically need. Place the pieces in a lemon-water bath (for example, 4 cups water with 2 tablespoons lemon juice) for about five minutes to reduce browning, drain, and freeze in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once frozen solid, transfer to a labelled freezer bag, removing as much air as possible; properly prepared apples can generally be kept in a deep freezer for up to about a year.​

Check out “How to Store Apples to Cut Food Waste” for more step-by-step guidance and “use-it-up” ideas for apples that are past their crispest stage.​

Easy Ways to Use Apples

Apples work in both sweet and savoury dishes, which makes them easy to fit into everyday meals and snacks. Here are a few simple ideas:​

• Add sliced apples and a handful of nuts or seeds for a quick snack or lunchbox addition.
• Stir chopped apples into oatmeal or yogurt, or blend them into a smoothie such as an apple-based breakfast drink.​
• Use apples in salads, like a warm potato and apple salad that combines fruit, vegetables, and a simple dressing.​
• Make easy baked apples, crisps, or a small pan of apple cobbler for dessert.
• Use apples in skillet dishes, pork or chicken recipes, or savoury glazes and sauces.

Discover more in this article: Apple Recipes: Sweet and Savoury Dish Ideas

• Try an “apple menu ideas” style roundup that uses apples across breakfast, snacks, and dinner in one week.​

Readers can find more tips and “Apple A Day” menu ideas in this article: Apple Recipes: Sweet and Savoury Dish Ideas​.

Apple Nutrition at a Glance

Apples provide energy, fibre, and vitamin C, along with small amounts of several other vitamins and minerals. One medium apple (about 150–180 g) typically contains around 80 calories, provides a source of dietary fibre, and contributes vitamin C to the diet, though exact amounts vary by variety and size. Most of the fibre is found in the peel, so eating the skin helps you get the most fibre from each apple.

For more detailed nutrient information, readers can consult Canadian nutrient databases or Health Canada resources on fruits and vegetables.​

How Apples Are Grown in Canada

Canadian apple growers manage orchards year-round, from planting and pruning to harvest, grading, and storage. Apples are grown in orchards in warmer climate zones such as the interior of BC, southern Ontario, and Quebec, where specific varieties are selected and bred to perform well in Canadian conditions.​

From picking and washing to waxing and packing, discover the high-tech journey apples take to get from tree to plate. From Orchard to Store: The Apple Journey

In the Orchard

Apple trees are planted along trellis systems made of sturdy posts and high-tensile wires, which support the trees, guide their growth, and make it easier to manage and harvest fruit. Trees begin to bear fruit after about two years and reach full production potential around year five or six. Growers prune trees to encourage healthy growth and to allow more sunlight to reach developing apples, and they “thin” blossoms or young fruit so that the tree can focus its energy on producing fewer, higher-quality apples.​

Pollination is essential for apple production, so farmers manage bee hives or work with beekeepers to bring hives into orchards during bloom. Throughout the season, growers monitor orchards for water needs, pests, and diseases, and they maintain tree health by removing dead or damaged branches.​

Harvest and Grading

Apples are usually harvested between August and November, depending on the variety and region. Because apples bruise easily, trained harvesters pick them by hand, often over several passes through the same orchard as apples on the same tree may ripen at different times. Apples picked slightly earlier have a firmer, more tart flavour and a longer storage life, while fully ripe fruit is typically sold quickly to nearby markets.​

After leaving the orchard, apples go to a packing house where they are gently transported by water channels, brushes, and conveyors, then cleaned, sorted, and graded based on standards set by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. High-tech colour and infrared cameras help sort apples by size, colour, defects, and weight so they can be directed to fresh sales or processing.

From Packing House to Store

The washing process removes the apples’ natural protective coating, so packers apply a very thin layer of food-grade wax to protect the skin during transport and help maintain quality. This wax is non-toxic and can be removed by washing apples at home before eating. Apples that meet fresh-market grade are weighed, labelled with variety and origin information, inspected again, and then packed for shipment to grocery stores or placed into storage. Apples that do not meet fresh-market standards are directed to processing uses such as juice, sauces, or baking products, and roughly one-third of apples produced may go to processing.​

Storage and Year-Round Availability

At packing houses, apples are stored in refrigerated areas or in specialized controlled-atmosphere rooms where oxygen levels and other conditions are carefully managed. These environments slow the ripening process, essentially putting apples into a resting state and helping maintain quality for six to eight months without significantly affecting texture or flavour. This storage system supports the extended availability of Canadian apples, often from September through to around July, depending on the variety and year.​

For More Information

• Apple Growers of New Brunswick
• BC Tree Fruits
• Niagara Peninsula Fruit & Vegetable Growers’ Association
• Nova Scotia Fruit Growers Association
• Norfolk Fruit Growers Association
• Ontario Fruit and Veggie Growers Association
• Ontario Apple Growers
• The Québec Produce Growers Association
• Les Producteurs de Pommes du Québec

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