According to a survey carried out in September 2018, over 50 percent of Canadian adults are willing to cut back on their meat consumption. Just under a quarter of respondents stated that they will probably reduce meat consumption in the next six months, and 8.5 percent of Canadians were surer of plans, stating that they fully intend to decrease meat consumption in the next six months.

Trends in meat consumption in Canada

Despite such survey findings, per capita white meat consumption has actually increased in recent years - consumption has risen by almost 20 pounds per capita since 1999. Consumption figures suggest that Canadians are keener to cut down on red meat, as beef and pork consumption have decreased in recent years, amounting to 39.82 and 36.31 pounds per capita respectively in 2018. The increasing retail sales value of meat substitutes in Canada reflects this decline in meat consumption - by 2022 sales are estimated to reach around 149 million U.S. dollars, up from around 87 million in 2012.

Regional variations

Views on eating less meat, however, differ between regions of Canada. According to a recent survey, 62 percent of respondents in Quebec viewed eating less meat as a positive choice, compared to 34 percent in Saskatchewan.