Canada: Number of licenced breweries more than doubles between 2010 and 2015

Canada’s craft beer industry is developing rapidly, with the number of licensed breweries having more than doubled from 310 to 644 between 2010 and 2015, according to the latest statistics from industry association Beer Canada.

On an annual basis, Canadians drink more than 22,700,000 hectolitres of beer - enough to fill at least 900 Olympic-size swimming pools.

On average, Canadians’ annual per capita consumption of beer is about 79 litres. At the provincial level, it’s highest in Newfoundland and Labrador at about 95 litres, followed by Quebec and Alberta at around 88 and 84 litres, respectively. Yukon boasts the largest annual per capita consumption of beer - about 128 litres, equivalent to 374 bottles per year.

When it comes to annual per capita consumption of beer internationally, Canadians rank 25th in the world, just behind New Zealand and the U.K. But it’s a far cry from No. 1 ranked Czech Republic, which has an annual per capita consumption rate of 140 litres.

On average, 99 per cent of beer bottles sold in Canada are returned. Retail prices for beer in Canada increased 4.9 per cent in 2015, while spirits rose by 0.9 per cent and wine bubbled up 0.6 per cent.

21 March, 2017