Skip to content

Vancouver Islanders drink more alcohol than provincial, national averages

The average south Vancouver Islander will drink 11.1 litres of alcohol per year
18711892_web1_alcohol-alcoholic-beverage-ale-1552630
The average person on south Vancouver Island will drink 638 bottles of beer per year (Pexels.com/Engin Akyurt )

People living in the southern Vancouver Island area love to drink – noticeably more than the provincial and national average.

This information comes from Victoria’s 2019 Vital Signs report; the Vital Signs report is an annual community report that measures the vitality of the area by comparing data from a variety of resources. It is produced by the Victoria Foundation, and compares results to the United Nations Sustainable Development goals to grade how the city is doing.

According to the report, in 2017 the average south Islander, aged 15 and above, consumed 11.1 litres of alcohol per year.

This amount is defined in “absolute alcohol” levels, a technical term used by health organizations which measures how much ethanol is in each type of drink. Each litre, under this definition, would equal 58 standard drinks, so with this calculation 11.1 litres would amount to approximately 638 bottles of beer, or 104 bottles of wine.

READ MORE: Alcohol consumption on the rise on Vancouver Island

This is compared to a provincial average of 9.4 litres per person, and a national average of 8.1 litres per person.

This is a slight increase from 11 litres from the same assessment in 2016.

While there are many factors that could contribute to these numbers, there’s no doubt that the craft brewery craze hitting the Island and southwest coast of the mainland is a big contributor to the rise in popularity.


 
vnc.editorial@blackpress.ca

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitterand Instagram