B.C. egg prices remain stable amid spike in the U.S.

South of the border in Washington state the high price of eggs is making headlines, but British Columbia hasn’t yet seen a similar spike.

The avian flu spreading in farms on both sides of the border has only sent egg prices soaring in the United States.

Data from Statistics Canada shows egg prices in Canada have increased five per cent year-over-year, while the American consumer price index shows eggs have gone up 65 per cent since February 2024.

According to the non-profit organization that oversees and manages B.C.’s egg industry, the comparatively stable price comes down to supply management.

“In Canada, eggs as well as poultry and dairy are produced using a system called supply management where we produce just enough product to supply our province,” said Amanda Brittain, the director of communications of BC Egg.

She went on to say that unlike in the United States, this ensures that consumers are paying a relatively steady price in the store.

According to BC Egg, the province has around 150 family-owned and operated egg farms and there have been approximately 80 cases of avian flu impacting the industry.

Although, with the use of supply management, BC Egg says they have been able to replenish their egg supply by receiving eggs from neighboring western Canadian provinces.

“Consumers are probably not seeing a big impact in the grocery store,” said Brittain.

On Tuesday, the Agri-Food Analytics Lab released data showing eggs and meat are a few items that are increasing in price to start the new year, even though overall food inflation is down.

The lab, and its director Sylvain Charlebois, found that for the first time since May 2017, food inflation in Canada dropped into negative territory, reaching -0.6 per cent last month.

“The numbers seem reassuring—on the surface,” wrote Charlebois.

“Before Canadians celebrate a rare break on their food bills, a deeper look at the data raises questions about whether these figures tell the full story.”

He explained that inflation at restaurants plummeted to an all-time low of -5.1 per cent, and inflation for food purchased in stores stood at 1.9 per cent while the federal government was implementing its GST pause.

The director of the lab said that despite the tax relief, restaurant inflation didn’t fall as much as they expected, suggesting that underlying cost pressures in the food service sector remain significant.

Charlebois warns that consumers could soon feel the effects of returning taxes.