Climate change fears are changing how Canadians eat, according to a recent survey by Dalhousie University..The poll surveyed 5,450 Canadians in July about their eating habits during the summer on behalf of Dalhousie’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab..The survey found 52.3% of Canadians are either very or extremely concerned about climate change, while 21.3% are either slightly or not concerned at all. A significant 73% believe that climate change is affecting weather patterns, resulting in unpredictable weather patterns in Canada..Regarding food production, 61% of Canadians believe climate change is impacting Canada's ability to produce food, while 14.9% think otherwise and 25.1% have some belief that it does..The survey also assessed Canadians' worries about food availability being affected by climate change, with 47.1% expressing concern and 22.2% showing no concern at all..Over one-third (37.6%) of Canadians often or always consider the environmental impact of their food choices, while 29.4% rarely or never do so. Quebec has the highest percentage of respondents who consider the environmental impact of food choices during hot weather (48.1%) and Saskatchewan has the lowest (26.4%). .ProvincePercentage of respondents who consider the environmental impact of food choicesQuebec48.1%New Brunswick40.5%Ontario36.5%British Columbia30.5%Nova Scotia28.7%Prince Edward Island28.5%Alberta27.9%Newfoundland and Labrador27.6%Manitoba27.1%Saskatchewan26.4%.Some Canadians think food availability has already been affected by climate change..Fully 40.1% of Canadians have noticed changes in the availability or variety of certain foods during the summer in recent years. While 32.9% say no, 27% claim they are not sure..Professor Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab, noted 60.3% of Canadians believe they will continue to have access to the same foods regardless of weather changes and patterns.."We were intrigued to find that while Quebec leads in considering the environmental impact of food choices during hot weather, Saskatchewan lags behind. Our study highlights the growing importance of climate-conscious eating habits and raises awareness about the need for sustainable practices in the agri-food sector."."However, results show as Canadians witness the effects of climate change on food availability, most remain confident about the future,” Charlebois said in a press release..Those who don't eat outside in summer outnumber those who do. A total of 29.5% of Canadians will eat outside at least once a week, while about 15.2% will do so every two weeks. However, 32.2% of Canadians rarely or never eat outside, regardless of the weather..For summer, 61.5% of Canadians reported modifying their diets. Fresh fruits are the top choice, craved by 61.4% of Canadians, closely followed by ice cream and frozen desserts, craved by 60.7%. Additionally, 53% of Canadians crave salads and chilled vegetables, while 49.2% indulge in grilled meats and seafood.
