Canada's chicken industry

... at a glance

  • Chicken Farmers of Canada is the national organization responsible for the production and marketing of chicken in Canada.
  • Canadian chicken production generated $3.8 billion in 2022, contributing 4% of cash receipts from agricultural operations in Canada.
  • Overall, in 2022, the 2,826 regulated chicken producers in Canada produced 1.34 billion kilograms of chicken (eviscerated weight), 61% of which was produced in Ontario and Quebec.
  • Canada also counted over 80 chicken primary processing establishments, 41 of which are federally inspected, along with many further processors who depend on supply of chicken for a portion of their business.
  • Chicken remained the most consumed animal meat protein in Canada in 2022 with a per capita disappearance of 35.4 kilograms, slightly higher than the 2021 level, and above the pre-pandemic level. The Covid-19 pandemic affected the chicken industry, with the closure and reduced offers from the food service industry responsible for a significant part of the chicken consumption in Canada.
  • Canadian chicken production is supplemented by imports subject to import controls such as Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQ’s), policies pertaining to supplemental imports, and import to re-export programs.
  • According to Statistics Canada, chicken meat and meat products imports in 2022 totalled 188.1 million kilograms, valued at $862 million, mostly originating from the United States, followed by Brazil and Thailand.
  • That same year, a total of 111.8 million kilograms of chicken meat and meat products, valued at $662 million, were exported to over 50 countries, with the largest importers being the United States, the Philippines, and Taiwan.
  • In 2022, the Canadian commercial poultry and egg industry was affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza with over 7.6 million birds affected in 9 provinces.
  • Statistics

Canadian federally registered plants and stations

Publications

 

If you have any questions or require additional information, please send an e-mail to aafc.poultry-volaille.aac@agr.gc.ca

Our service standards

Service standards play a vital role in our market information program’s commitment to planning, reporting and performance management. They clearly define the level of service that clients can expect under normal circumstances.

View the Service standards for poultry reports.