Canada is unlocking its maple syrup vault. Here's what it looks like

Welcome to the world's only maple syrup emergency reserve.

It's run by the organization that governs Quebec's maple syrup producers who, for 21 years, have been stockpiling gallons of the so-called "liquid gold" in a small town called Laurierville, about 70 kilometres southwest from Quebec City.

The reserve is normally closed to the public, but on Thursday the media were invited to get a rare glimpse into one of the four warehouses where the syrup is housed. 

This is where producers dip in if they've run out of their own supplies to sell. Worldwide demand for maple syrup has increased by about 20 per cent each year for the past two years, according to Serge Beaulieu, president of the Quebec Maple Syrup Producers.

Experts say the spike was partly fuelled by more people cooking at home during the pandemic. which has strained the supply.

But according to maple syrup producer David Hall, there's still plenty of reserves to go around.

"Next December when we talk I don't believe we're going to have to resort to Aunt Jemima or corn syrup," he said.