Alcohol drinking occasions among consumers in Canada 2015
Alcohol consumption in Canada - additional information
Alcohol consumption in Canada is both a cultural norm and a large contributor to the Canadian economy. The average annual household expenditure on alcoholic beverages in Canada from 2010 to 2014 shows that the average Canadian household spends between 854 and 941 Canadian dollars a year on alcohol. Among these purchases, beer was the most popular choice. In May 2015, 57 percent of Canadians said they drank beer while 42 and 32 percent said they drank wine and spirits respectively.
Of the Canadian provinces, Ontario was the biggest beer consumer, purchasing over 8000 hectoliters in 2015 compared with the population of Quebec in second who collectively drank around 5940 hectoliters of beer. Consumption also varies across the age and gender groups in Canada. Men across all age groups drink more than their female counter-parts, with men aged 19 to 34 being the biggest consumer of any age gender group.
Regardless of one’s choice of alcohol beverage, alcohol consumption has the potential to be harmful to a person’s health when consumed in large quantities. Therefore health professionals and policy-makers will welcome the fact that from 2013 to 2014 the percentage of Canadians considered heavy alcoholic drinkers decreased from 18.9 percent to 17.9 percent.