Study suggests alcohol use in B.C. higher than ever

A new study suggests alcohol consumption in British Columbia is at its highest levels in at least two decades, partly due to COVID-19.

Researchers at the University of Victoria analyzed alcohol sales data during the first year of the pandemic to make its conclusions, and says the research is supported by Health Canada.

“Consumption for this past fiscal year (April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021) was equivalent to 547 cans of 5 per cent beer or 104 bottles of 12 per cent wine per year for each per person aged 15+ in the province,” said Dr. Tim Naimi, director of the university’s Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR). “At 9.32 litres (L) of pure alcohol per capita, this the highest level of alcohol consumption recorded since CISUR started monitoring it in 2001.”

Naimi says the results indicate the higher levels of consumption seen in the first few months of COVID were not the result of stockpiling, but of an overall increase in drinking sustained over the year.

Dr. Tim Naimi of Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (Photo credit: Amanda Farrell-Low)

While consumption at bars and restaurants plunged (60 per cent and 46 per cent, respectively), it was more than made up for in increases at private liquor stores, which accounted for 55 per cent of all alcohol sold in the province.

“It has never been easier to buy alcohol in B.C., and we know increased availability of alcohol leads to people drinking more,” said Naimi. “COVID-era changes to alcohol policy such as increased hours, government support for liquor retailers to develop online stores, expanded home delivery and declaring liquor stores an essential service have certainly played a role in these increases.”

Measured by health authority, Interior had the highest rates of consumption at 13.69L per capita, with Island Health second at 11.54L. Fraser was the lowest at 7.09L.

“In the past, some regions have pointed to tourism as a reason for above-average consumption rates, the assumption being that visitors accounted for a good chunk of alcohol purchases,” Naimi remarked. “Given the fact that B.C. saw many fewer tourists in the summer of 2020, this theory doesn’t appear to hold water.”

(Image credit: Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research/UVIC)