Eggs in Canada: 15 Facts & Statistics

Eggs in Canada: 15 Facts & Statistics

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Egg Farming in Canada facts statistics

With all the kafuffle surrounding egg supply and prices south of the border, it's a great time to share fun and interesting facts about eggs in Canada. Often overlooked, the egg farming sector is a critically important part of our agricultural industry and plays an instrumental role in feeding Canadian families nationwide.

Whether it’s the astonishing 856 million dozen eggs produced by farmers in Canada every year (a total of 10.27 billion individual eggs) or the sector being active in 11 provinces and territories, there is a lot of interesting things to know about Canadian-made eggs!

Below we explore several fun facts and statistics about eggs in Canada that may have you shocked! Also, be sure to check out the following related blogs for more great information on Canada’s agriculture sector:

Canada is home to nearly 1,300 egg farms as of 2024

15 Facts on Canadian Eggs & Egg Farming

#1 - Canada was home to 1,270 egg producers in 2024 [1]

#2 - Canadian egg farmers produced a whopping 856 million dozen eggs in 2024 nationwide – or a total of 10.27 billion individual eggs [1]

#3 - Canada’s table egg production surpassed 745 million dozen in 2020, a 20.8% increase versus 2015 [4]

#4 - As of 2024, Canadian egg production is up by nearly 15% versus 2020 figures [1][4]

#5 - Canadian egg farmers operate more than 1,200 farms in all 10 provinces and the Northwest Territories [1]

#6 - Canada’s egg farmers support over 18,500 jobs nationwide [2]

#7 - Canada’s egg industry contributes $1.3 billion to Canada’s economy every year [2]

#8 - Between 2005 and 2020, egg production on Canadian farms increased by 50% [2]

#9 - Canadian farms were home to more than 24.7 million laying hens 19 weeks of age and over as of May 2021 [4]

#10 - As a result of an inspiring national young farmer program, 30% of egg farmers in Canada are first-generation egg farmers [5]

#11 - Across Canada, 30% of egg farmers are under 45 years of age [5]

#12 - 93% of Canadians say it is important that their dairy, meat, eggs, and produce come from Canada under supply management [2]

#13 - 95% of Canadians consider eggs to be a healthy food [1]

#14 - Canada exported more than 3.3 million hatching eggs of varying species, worth over $86 million, to 19 countries in 2023 – with the U.S. being the largest recipient, accounting for 64% of this value of exported eggs [3]

#15 - Canada exported more than 3 million kilograms of processes eggs worth $15 million and over 24.2 million shell eggs worth more than $3.6 million dollars in 2023 [3]

Nearly 33 percent of Canadian farmers are women, including many in the egg business

Canada’s Egg Farming Regulations

Canadians will be happy to know that, like other industrial sectors, egg farmers are also held to a very high standard of production.

Canadian egg farming operates under the rigorous Egg Quality Assurance™ (EQA®) certification program, which ensures strict adherence to food safety and animal welfare standards across all registered farms. The program incorporates two main components: the Animal Care Program and the Start Clean-Stay Clean® program, both of which require regular audits by trained field inspectors and third-party auditors to maintain certification [5].

Key requirements for Canadian egg farmers include, but are not limited to [5]:

  • Housing systems with specific space allowances for different setups (conventional, enriched colony, free run, and free range)
  • Twice-daily hen health inspections and comprehensive veterinary relationships
  • Temperature control between 10°C-28°C and strict air quality monitoring
  • Detailed emergency response plans and backup power systems
  • Rigorous biosecurity measures and visitor protocols
  • Regular testing and documentation of all farm operations

The Start Clean-Stay Clean® program focuses specifically on food safety, utilizing HACCP-based principles to prevent, reduce, or eliminate food safety hazards in egg production. This comprehensive approach requires farmers to maintain detailed records, follow strict facility hygiene protocols, and ensure proper egg handling and storage procedures, with farms needing to achieve a minimum score of 90% during inspections to maintain their EQA® certification [5].

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Canadian egg farmers produced more than 10 billion eggs in 2024

Canada’s egg farmers help put food on the table for thousands of families worldwide, something all Canadians should support.

Join us today to learn more about Canada’s world-class natural resource industries and the hard-working families that make these key economic sectors possible.

SOURCES:

1 - https://www.eggfarmers.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025-03-19_Egg-Farmers-of-Canada_Annual-Report-2024.pdf

2 - https://www.eggfarmers.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/2021-06-17_The-Canadian-egg-industry.pdf

3 - https://agriculture.canada.ca/en/sector/animal-industry/poultry-and-egg-market-information/industry-profile

4 - https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-627-m/11-627-m2023007-eng.htm

5 - https://www.eggfarmers.ca/resource/fact-sheets/