Canada faces rising chicken prices amid supply shortages

Canada is facing rising chicken prices as domestic supply fails to keep pace with demand. Although Chicken Farmers of Canada reported that production in the first four months of 2026 was 5.6 per cent higher than the previous year, wholesale prices for whole birds and legs have reached record levels due to persistent underproduction.

Several factors have contributed to the shortage, including chick-supply issues, avian influenza, mortality rates, extreme heat, labor constraints, and processing capacity. While the national supply management system is designed to balance production with demand through import controls and quotas, it has struggled to prevent scarcity when external biological or environmental factors prevent farmers from meeting their allocations.