Monthly average retail prices for selected products, for Canada, provinces, Whitehorse and Yellowknife. Prices are presented for the current month and the previous four months. Prices are based on transaction data from Canadian retailers, and are presented in Canadian current dollars.

In 2021, the retail price of one liter of milk in Canada was on average **** Canadian dollars, with some regional differences. For instance, in Quebec, one liter of milk cost **** Canadian dollars on average, while it cost **** Canadian dollars in Ontario.

Milk production in Canada

Canada featured among the leading producers of cow milk worldwide, with a production volume exceeding ** million metric tons in 2021. Although this production volume pales in comparison to that of the EU-27 or the United States, Canada’s dairy farming industry is among the most important agricultural sectors in the country. Dairy farms in Canada were home to more than ******* milk cows in 2021. In addition to being the provinces with the largest number of milk cows in the country, Quebec and Ontario also produced the largest volume of milk in Canada in 2020, at around ** million and ** million hectoliters, respectively.

Milk consumption in Canada

Since 2004, consumption of milk per capita in Canada has been steadily declining, with a significant decrease of more than twenty liters per capita between 2004 and 2019. This can be attributed to the emergence of new consumption habits and the rise of non-dairy substitutes for milk such as soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk and others, which appeal primarily but not exclusively to people following plant-based diets. It was estimated that the milk substitute market in Canada would generate approximately *** million U.S. dollars in revenues in 2022.

This statistic shows the average retail price for * liters of partly skimmed milk in Canada from January 2016 to February 2022. The retail price stayed fairly constant for most of 2021, at around *** Canadian dollars, but jumped up to *** Canadian dollars in February 2022.

Monthly average retail prices for food, household supplies, personal care items, cigarettes and gasoline. Prices are presented for the current month and previous four months. Prices are in Canadian current dollars.

This table contains 288 series, with data for years 1956 - 1990 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years), and was last released on 2000-02-18. This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (6 items: Canada; Atlantic Region; Ontario; Quebec ...), Commodities (278 items: Canola oil cake and meal; domestic; Meat products; Primary meat products; Meat; fish and dairy products ...).

Industry revenue in the Canadian dairy farming industry has steadily expanded, growing at a CAGR of 1.2% over the current period to reach an estimated $11.9 billion in 2025, supported by a 1.3% rise in the most recent year. This growth has been underpinned by a stable national herd size combined with consistent productivity gains through genetic improvement, precision herd management and strong animal welfare standards. Consumption trends have provided an additional boost: national demand for fluid milk, cheese and butter has risen modestly, driven by rapid population increases, immigration and the recovery of out-of-home dining, even as per capita consumption edges lower. On the trade side, Canadian processors continue to benefit from rising US demand for dairy products, increasing their purchases of farm milk in turn, with exports of cheese and skim milk powder growing thanks to market access under CUSMA. However, expanding imports under existing trade agreements and the potential impacts of tariff disputes create some uncertainty for Canadian dairy's market position. The Canadian dairy cattle industry's hallmark supply management system remains the cornerstone of stability, regulating production through quotas, maintaining producer-based pricing and limiting competition from foreign imports. Recently reinforced through federal legislation, this framework ensures that producers and farm profit are shielded from the price volatility common in global dairy markets. It also provides mechanisms to absorb rising costs through farmgate price adjustments, allowing margins to remain relatively stable. While input expenses temporarily eased coming into 2024, pressures from grain markets, energy and logistics are expected to return in 2025, gradually increasing operational costs. Farmers are countering these headwinds with forward feed contracting, precision nutrition systems and risk management programs. If farmers are able to pass on these costs to consumers, this increase in expenses will generate additional industry revenue. Looking forward, the industry faces both opportunities and structural challenges. Consolidation will continue to reshape the sector, with production disproportionately concentrated in Ontario and Quebec as smaller farms exit and economies of scale favour larger players. Population growth, particularly driven by immigration, will sustain broad demand for dairy products, even as changing consumer preferences, including the rise of plant-based alternatives, contribute to a gradual decline in per capita dairy intake. Climate change also poses long-term risks through feed scarcity, heat stress and extreme weather, necessitating sustained investment in adaptive technologies and resilient genetics. Balanced against these challenges, industry revenue is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 1.4% through 2030, reaching $12.7 billion, supported by stable herd productivity, steady demand growth and the continued strength of the supply management framework.

The consumption of milk has gradually declined in Canada in recent years – in 2022, consumption hit a new low of around **** liters per capita. This is a decrease of over ten liters per capita since 2015. Around half of the volume of milk consumed per capita was milk with a two percent butterfat content, making it the most popular type of milk to drink in Canada.

Why is milk consumption decreasing?

Milk consumption is following a similar trend to red meat consumption in Canada - the intake of pork and beef have generally seen decreases in recent years. The number of vegetarians and vegans in Canada, recorded at *** million and ******* respectively, is likely to be a reason behind the decline. The average retail price for homogenized milk has experienced only a minor increase in Canada, suggesting that price is not a cause of declining consumption.

Milk industry in Canada

Over ** million hectoliters of milk are produced annually in Canada. As of December 2022, there were 76 milk manufacturing establishments located across Canada to support this production, with the majority located in Ontario and Quebec.

The Consumer Price Index measures changes in the cost of selected food items over time like: * food purchased from stores * fresh or frozen beef * fresh or frozen pork * fresh or frozen chicken * dairy products and eggs * bakery products * fresh fruit * fresh vegetables * food purchased from restaurants

This dataset shows annual average prices received by Ontario livestock farmers for:

• bulls
• cows
• steers
• heifers
• calves
• cattle
• pigs
• hogs
• sheep
• lambs
• unprocessed milk from bovine
• chicken
• turkey
• eggs in shell