The USDA projects that per capita chicken consumption in Canada will reach 39.5 kilograms in 2026 and 39.8 kilograms in 2027, all-time highs, on sustained demand despite stagnant population growth.
The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Canada projects that per capita chicken consumption will reach 39.5 kilograms in 2026 and 39.8 kilograms in 2027, the highest levels ever recorded in the country, according to its most recent annual report on poultry and poultry products. The agency notes that the increase reflects stagnant population growth and demand that shows no sign of easing.
Canada's population growth is driven mainly by immigration. After reaching 3.0% in both 2023 and 2024, the annual growth rate returned in 2025 to its decades-long average of 1.0%, following the adoption of stricter federal immigration policies.
The new targets were intended to substantially reduce the number of temporary residents, such as international students and temporary workers, while maintaining strict controls on permanent residents. Along with more departures of temporary residents, this led to a population decline in 2026 compared with 2025; FAS anticipates modest growth in 2027.
Total chicken meat consumption in Canada nearly tripled over the past 35 years, due in part to steady population growth, which peaked in 2025 at 41.6 million people, compared with nearly 28 million in 1990.
FAS highlights that chicken's popularity as a versatile and affordable protein is driving the upward trend. Competitively priced and consistently available, it stands out as an attractive substitute for red meats, which tend to be higher priced and at times in short supply.
Chicken has also benefited from greater consumer health awareness and from the perception that it is leaner and therefore healthier than other meats. The expansion of quick-service offerings based on this protein added further demand.
Nearly one in four Canadians was born in another country, and Canadian immigration is made up mostly of ethnic groups that tend to share positive preferences for chicken. The immigrant population increasingly comes from nations with dietary preferences more strongly oriented toward chicken than beef or pork.
Rising diversity has also widened the range of foodservice establishments offering chicken-based dishes. FAS maintains that chicken's popularity in the foodservice channel and at retail, as in the United States, is indisputable.
