British Columbians may be drinking less, with new research showing that alcohol sales have reached a 20-year low.
However, Northeast B.C. remains thirsty, with per-capita sales still higher than the provincial average.
Researchers from the University of Victoria have found that alcohol sales in the 2023/24 fiscal year have reached their lowest point since tracking began in 2001.
Last year, British Columbians over the age of 15 purchased the equivalent of 469 standard drinks per person, marking a nine-percent decrease from the previous year, which researchers with the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research say is the largest single-year drop since data collection began.
Sales were down in all local health authorities in Northern Health, except in Fort Nelson, which saw a fractional increase but still averaged the highest sales in Northeast B.C. at 791 standard drinks per person. People in Peace River South are drinking more than their Alaska Highway neighbours, with an average of 627 drinks per person, with Peace River North slightly lower at 613.
“It is astounding to see this huge change from record highs to record lows in just a few short years,” said CISUR director Dr. Tim Naimi, in a news release accompanying the data. “It’s been kind of a perfect storm of factors that have led to people buying less alcohol.”
The institute points to several factors, from population growth to increasing costs of living, as potential reasons why some people may be cutting back on alcohol consumption.
“In addition, we’ve also seen increased awareness of alcohol’s impacts on health, particularly here in Canada with the 2023 release of Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health, so that may be having an impact,” said Naimi.
The institute reports that despite recent declines in consumption, British Columbians still consume more alcohol than the Canadian average, with an intake of nine standard drinks per week. This exceeds the national guideline’s “moderate risk” category, which suggests a range of three to six standard drinks per week.
Nationally, Statistics Canada also reported a significant drop in alcohol sales for the 2023-24 period, marking the largest year-over-year decline since 1949. Sales decreased by 3.8 percent, totaling just under three million litres.
“While this is great news for public health, there is still a long way to go,” Naimi said.
*With files from Kaija Jussinoja, CTV News Vancouver