Research Reports
May 2026
A Decade of Calorie Reduction
Between 2014 and 2024, Canadians reduced the calories in the beverages they purchased by 23.0 per cent, surpassing the Balance Calories Initiative’s (BCI’s) goal of a 20 per cent reduction two years ahead of schedule. By 2024, Canadians were purchasing beverages with one-quarter fewer calories than they had a
decade earlier.
decade earlier.
November 2025
Economic footprint of the non-alcoholic beverage sector
According to a report from the Conference Board of Canada, the industry supported 45,000 direct, indirect and induced full-time equivalent jobs in 2024. Direct employment surpassed 16,000 full-time roles, reflecting a stronger pandemic recovery compared to Canada’s overall manufacturing sector. The report notes that the sector’s dependence on imported materials continues to expose it to global market pressures.
July 2024
Ontario DRS System Modeling
Ontario is one of only two provinces in Canada without a Deposit Return System (DRS) for non-alcoholic beverage containers. As a result, its beverage recovery rate is estimated as 50% compared to 77% in British Columbia and 84% in Alberta in 2022. The Government has set 2030 recovery targets, as outlined in Ontario Regulation 391/21 under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016. These targets include an 80% recovery target for non-alcoholic beverage containers.
December 2020
Finding Balance
In 2014, the Canadian Beverages Association (CBA) launched the Balance Calories Initiative (BCI). The initiative’s goal is to reduce (by 20 per cent) non-alcoholic beverage calories consumed per person in Canada by 2025. Most of the calories in these beverages are due to sugar. Therefore, the initiative entails reducing the amount of sugar that Canadians consume each year.
December 2017
Balance Calories Initiative: 2017 Tracking Report
The Canadian Beverage Association launched the Balance Calories Initiative to help reduce the calories that Canadians obtain from liquid refreshment beverages. This report assesses the most recent data to determine if the Initiative is on track.