Key Takeaways
- Fluid milk consumption per capita was 78.2 litres in 2022, down 2.1% from 2021
- Cheese consumption per capita reached 18.9 kg in 2022, up 1.5%
- Yogurt consumption averaged 13.4 kg per capita in 2022
- In 2022, cheese production from cow's milk reached 512,000 tonnes, up 2.3% from 2021
- Butter production totalled 283,000 tonnes in 2022, a 1.8% increase year-over-year
- Yogurt production in Canada was 252,000 tonnes in 2022
- The Canadian dairy industry contributed $8.4 billion to GDP in 2022
- Dairy farming generated $26.5 billion in total economic impact including multipliers in 2022
- Dairy sector farm cash receipts totalled $8.2 billion in 2022, up 6.5% from 2021
- There were 9,623 dairy farms in Canada as of 2022, down 1.7% from 2021
- Quebec had 4,098 dairy farms in 2022, 42.6% of national total
- Ontario counted 3,351 dairy farms in 2022
- Canada's dairy exports totalled $1.15 billion in 2022, up 5.2%
- USA was top dairy export destination at 42% or $485 million in 2022
- Cheese exports reached 45,000 tonnes valued at $280 million in 2022
Related reading
01 · Category
Consumption Patterns26 stats
01
Fluid milk consumption per capita was 78.2 litres in 2022, down 2.1% from 2021
02
Cheese consumption per capita reached 18.9 kg in 2022, up 1.5%
03
Yogurt consumption averaged 13.4 kg per capita in 2022
04
Butter consumption per capita was 3.6 kg in 2022
05
Ice cream consumption per capita totalled 9.8 litres in 2022
06
Total per capita dairy consumption was 265 kg in 2022
07
Milk fat consumption per capita declined to 180 grams per day in 2022
08
Plant-based milk alternatives captured 10% of fluid milk market in 2022
09
Household dairy expenditure averaged $450per year in 2022
10
Quebec per capita cheese consumption: 22.1 kg in 2022
11
Ontario fluid milk consumption per capita: 72 litres in 2022
12
55% of Canadians consumed dairy daily in 2022 survey
13
Low-fat milk (1-2%) held 60% of fluid milk sales in 2022
14
Organic dairy consumption grew 8% to 4.2% market share in 2022
15
School milk programs served 2.1 million litres daily in 2022
16
Retail dairy sales volume: 4.2 billion kg in 2022
17
Foodservice dairy purchases: 1.8 billion kg in 2022
18
Lactose-free dairy sales up 12% to 150 million litres in 2022
19
Butter sales in retail up 3.2% to 85,000 tonnes in 2022
20
Yogurt sales growth: 4.5% in volume to 220,000 tonnes in 2022
21
Cheese retail sales: 380,000 tonnes in 2022
22
Fluid milk market share decline: 2% to 78 litres per capita in 2022
23
Dairy in Canadian diets: 20% of calcium intake in 2022
24
Per capita cream consumption: 2.1 litres in 2022
25
Processed cheese consumption: 1.2 kg per capita in 2022
26
Dairy beverage innovations (flavoured milk) sales: 450 million litres in 2022
02 · Category
Dairy Product Manufacturing22 stats
01
In 2022, cheese production from cow's milk reached 512,000 tonnes, up 2.3% from 2021
02
Butter production totalled 283,000 tonnes in 2022, a 1.8% increase year-over-year
03
Yogurt production in Canada was 252,000 tonnes in 2022
04
Ice cream and frozen desserts production reached 248,000 tonnes in 2022
05
Condensed and evaporated milk production was 45,000 tonnes in 2022
06
Powdered milk (skim and whole) production totalled 78,000 tonnes in 2022
07
Creamery butter output increased by 4.1% to 267,000 tonnes in 2022
08
Cheddar cheese production was 145,000 tonnes, comprising 28% of total cheese in 2022
09
Mozzarella cheese production reached 112,000 tonnes in 2022
10
Processed cheese production totalled 42,000 tonnes in 2022
11
Cream cheese output was 18,500 tonnes in 2022
12
Dairy product manufacturing plants numbered 456 in 2022
13
Quebec hosted 42% of Canada's cheese production capacity in 2022
14
Ontario produced 38% of national yogurt in 2022 at 96,000 tonnes
15
Ice cream production per capita was 6.2 kg in 2022
16
Butter imports for manufacturing were 12,000 tonnes in 2022
17
Milk powder exports from manufacturing hit 25,000 tonnes in 2022
18
Fluid milk processing volume was 3.1 billion litres in 2022
19
Dry whey production totalled 35,000 tonnes in 2022
20
Cottage cheese production reached 22,000 tonnes in 2022
21
Dairy dessert production (puddings, etc.) was 15,000 tonnes in 2022
22
Sour cream and dips production totalled 28,000 tonnes in 2022
Interpretation
Dairy Product Manufacturing Interpretation
In Canada’s Dairy Product Manufacturing sector, 2022 output grew across key staples such as cheese rising to 512,000 tonnes and butter increasing to 283,000 tonnes, signaling steady expansion rather than decline.
03 · Category
Economic Contributions23 stats
01
The Canadian dairy industry contributed $8.4 billion to GDP in 2022
02
Dairy farming generated $26.5 billion in total economic impact including multipliers in 2022
03
Dairy sector farm cash receipts totalled $8.2 billion in 2022, up 6.5% from 2021
04
Dairy processing added $19.4 billion to the economy in 2022 via value-added
05
221,000 jobs were supported by the dairy industry in 2022 across Canada
06
Dairy exports reached $1.1 billion in value in 2022
07
Average dairy farm cash receipts per farm were $1.2 million in 2022
08
Dairy industry's contribution to agricultural GDP was 7.8% in 2022
09
Total dairy supply chain economic multiplier effect was 3.2 in 2022
10
Dairy farm net operating income averaged $450,000per farm in 2022
11
Processing and manufacturing wages in dairy totalled $2.1 billion in 2022
12
Dairy sector taxes paid to governments exceeded $2.5 billion in 2022
13
Quebec dairy GDP contribution was $3.8 billion in 2022
14
Ontario dairy economic impact was $6.2 billion in 2022
15
Dairy farm expenses totalled $6.8 billion in 2022 nationally
16
Feed costs for dairy farms were $2.4 billion or 35% of expenses in 2022
17
Labour costs on dairy farms reached $1.1 billion in 2022
18
Dairy industry's return on investment for farms was 12.5% in 2022
19
Total dairy product sales value was $17.6 billion in 2022
20
Consumer spending on dairy products totalled $12.3 billion in 2022
21
Dairy farm debt-to-equity ratio averaged 0.28 in 2022
22
Equity on dairy farms grew 4.2% to $52 billion in 2022
23
Dairy sector R&D investment was $250 million in 2022
More related reading
04 · Category
Farm Structure26 stats
01
There were 9,623 dairy farms in Canada as of 2022, down 1.7% from 2021
02
Quebec had 4,098 dairy farms in 2022, 42.6% of national total
03
Ontario counted 3,351 dairy farms in 2022
04
Alberta had 589 dairy farms in 2022
05
British Columbia dairy farms numbered 399 in 2022
06
Average dairy herd size in Canada was 99 cows in 2022, up 2.1% from 2021
07
Quebec average herd size was 77 cows per farm in 2022
08
Ontario's average dairy herd was 122 cows in 2022
09
Largest 25% of dairy farms averaged 250+ cows in 2022
10
Dairy farms with robotic milking systems numbered 1,200 in 2022
11
Average dairy farm size in hectares was 152 ha in 2022
12
65% of dairy farms were family-owned in 2022
13
Dairy farms exiting the industry averaged 250 per year from 2018-2022
14
New dairy farms entering averaged 50 per year 2018-2022
15
22% of dairy farms had over 150 cows in 2022
16
Saskatchewan had 64 dairy farms in 2022
17
Manitoba dairy farms totalled 51 in 2022
18
Atlantic provinces had 182 dairy farms combined in 2022
19
Dairy farms using precision agriculture tech reached 45% in 2022
20
Average age of dairy farmers was 52 years in 2022
21
Female dairy farmers represented 28% of total in 2022
22
Dairy farms with environmental sustainability plans: 92% in 2022
23
Total dairy cows inventory was 766,000 head in 2022
24
Heifers under 1 year: 245,000 head on dairy farms in 2022
25
Dairy farms per 100,000 population: 24 in 2022
26
Per capita dairy cow ownership: 0.19 cows per person in 2022
05 · Category
Market And Trade24 stats
01
Canada's dairy exports totalled $1.15 billion in 2022, up 5.2%
02
USA was top dairy export destination at 42% or $485 million in 2022
03
Cheese exports reached 45,000 tonnes valued at $280 million in 2022
04
Milk powder exports: 28,000 tonnes worth $95 million in 2022
05
Dairy imports totalled $900 million in 2022, mainly from USA and EU
06
Butter imports: 15,000 tonnes under tariff rate quotas in 2022
07
Supply-managed quota for milk was 9.45 billion litres in 2022
08
Average farm gate milk price: $79.85per hectolitre in 2022
09
Retail price for fluid milk averaged $2.10per litre in 2022
10
Cheese wholesale price index rose 4.2% in 2022
11
Exports to Mexico grew 15% to $80 million in dairy products 2022
12
China dairy imports from Canada: $45 million in 2022
13
Under CUSMA, dairy TRQ fill rate was 102% for cheese in 2022
14
Fluid milk imports: 120 million litres within quotas in 2022
15
Organic dairy exports doubled to $50 million in 2022
16
Japan dairy market access under CPTPP: $20 million exports in 2022
17
EU dairy imports from Canada: $10 million under CETA in 2022
18
National milk marketing pool distributed $7.9 billion to farmers in 2022
19
Component pricing for butterfat: 2.5 cents per 0.1% above standard in 2022
20
Protein pricing premium averaged $3.50per kg in 2022
21
Over-quota levies collected $50 million in 2022
22
Retail yogurt price: $4.50per kg average in 2022
23
Butter retail price index up 8% to $6.80/kg in 2022
24
Dairy market revenue growth forecast 2.1% for 2023 post-2022
Interpretation
Market And Trade Interpretation
In 2022 Canada’s dairy trade showed growing reach with exports rising 5.2% to $1.15 billion, and cheese leading at 45,000 tonnes worth $280 million while the biggest export destination was the USA at 42%.
06 · Category
Milk Production30 stats
01
In 2022, Canada produced 9.32 billion litres of cow's milk, marking a 1.2% increase from 2021
02
Quebec accounted for 39.6% of Canada's total milk production in 2022 with 3.69 billion litres
03
Ontario produced 2.98 billion litres of milk in 2022, representing 32.0% of national output
04
Alberta's milk production reached 736.8 million litres in 2022, up 2.5% from the previous year
05
British Columbia dairy farms produced 442.6 million litres of milk in 2022
06
In 2023, Canadian milk production totalled 9.41 billion litres, a 0.97% rise year-over-year
07
Saskatchewan contributed 243.2 million litres to national milk production in 2022
08
Manitoba's milk output was 134.5 million litres in 2022, down slightly from 2021
09
New Brunswick produced 74.8 million litres of milk in 2022
10
Nova Scotia dairy production totalled 92.3 million litres in 2022
11
Prince Edward Island milk production was 28.1 million litres in 2022
12
Newfoundland and Labrador produced 12.4 million litres of milk in 2022
13
Average milk yield per cow in Canada was 10,236 litres in 2022, up 1.8% from 2021
14
Quebec's average milk yield per cow reached 10,892 litres in 2022
15
Ontario cows averaged 11,014 litres of milk per cow in 2022
16
In 2021, Canada had 574,000 dairy cows in milk production
17
Milk production per hectare of farmland in Canada averaged 45,200 litres in 2022
18
Organic milk production in Canada grew by 5.2% to 120 million litres in 2022
19
Fluid milk shipments totalled 3.23 billion litres in 2022, down 1.5% from 2021
20
Industrial milk production for manufacturing reached 6.09 billion litres in 2022
21
Cream production from cow's milk was 1.12 billion litres in 2022
22
Skim milk production totalled 2.45 billion litres in 2022 for processing
23
Whole milk production for fluid use was 1.89 billion litres in 2022
24
Partially skimmed milk (2%) production hit 1.34 billion litres in 2022
25
Milk fat content in Canadian production averaged 3.85% in 2022
26
Milk protein content averaged 3.25% across Canadian dairy herds in 2022
27
Somatic cell count in Canadian milk averaged 185,000 cells/mL in 2022
28
Canada ranked 4th globally in milk production with 9.32 billion litres in 2022
29
Dairy heifer inventory for milk production was 192,000 head in 2022
30
Milk production growth rate was 1.1% annually from 2018-2022
Interpretation
Milk Production Interpretation
Milk production in Canada stayed on an upward track, rising from 9.32 billion litres in 2022 to 9.41 billion litres in 2023, with Quebec alone producing 3.69 billion litres in 2022 and accounting for 39.6% of the national total.
report visual · Breakdown
Canada’s per-capita dairy consumption shifts in 2022
Fluid milk and cheese per-capita consumption saw modest year-over-year movement in 2022, while other dairy categories remained steady in their 2022 levels.
55%
55% of Canadians consumed dairy daily in 2022 survey
45%
Dairy farms using precision agriculture tech reached 45% in 2022
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Helena Kowalczyk. (2026, February 13). Canada Dairy Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/canada-dairy-industry-statistics
MLA
Helena Kowalczyk. "Canada Dairy Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/canada-dairy-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Helena Kowalczyk. 2026. "Canada Dairy Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/canada-dairy-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
5 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level