Nearly 90% Canadians eat seafood, fish regularly – despite high prices: poll

Most Canadians are regularly having fish and other seafood meals despite high grocery prices, according to a new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab.

Most Canadians are regularly eating seafood despite high grocery prices, according to a new survey.

Fish and other seafood dishes are routinely included in their meals, 87 per cent of Canadians said in a recent poll conducted by the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University and the Angus Reid Institute.

The results published Tuesday showed that even though daily consumption of seafood is rare in the country, Canadians are eating seafood on a weekly and monthly basis.

The online poll was conducted in June and included some 1,000 Canadian adults.

Stefanie Colombo, associate professor and Canada research chair at Dalhousie University, said she was “surprised” to find that such a large proportion of Canadians eat seafood on a regular basis.

The results are however consistent with the global trends, she said, with the increased consumption of animal protein, including fish.

In British Columbia, 45.8 per cent of respondents said they have fish and seafood every week, followed by 39 per cent in Atlantic provinces saying the same.

Quebec has the lowest weekly consumption of seafood (27.2 per cent), the survey found.