Estimated studying time: 7 minutes

Key takeaways

• 71% of Canadian adults drank espresso previously day.
• Tim Hortons stays dominant, however specialty espresso is gaining floor.
• Cities like Vancouver, Calgary, and Montréal lead Canada’s specialty scene.
• US tariffs examined Canadian roasters who relied on cross-border provide chains.

Canada’s espresso tradition has grown quick. In response to the Espresso Affiliation of Canada, 71% of Canadian adults drank espresso previously day, making it the nation’s most consumed beverage. Nationwide consumption has risen by virtually one million 60kg baggage per 12 months during the last decade, with Canadians averaging 2.7 cups each day.

Adam Pesce, President and proprietor of Reunion Espresso Roasters in Toronto, Ontario, says the nation’s espresso historical past has intently adopted the broader “waves” of espresso. “Though we might not have been an actual trailblazer relative to a number of the extra progressive espresso cultures world wide, we’ve all the time punched above our weight when it comes to our affect,” he says.

Adam’s father, Peter, started working in espresso within the Seventies and helped pioneer fashionable direct commerce and quality-driven practices. His roastery, Bourbon Espresso, was among the many first second-wave roasters in Canada.

At present, like many different main espresso customers, homegrown chains lead the market. Tim Hortons, based in 1964 and well-known for its doughnuts, is extra common in Canada than McDonald’s and has develop into deeply embedded in Canadian tradition. But throughout the nation, unbiased cafés and roasteries are constructing a specialty-focused scene.

You may additionally like our article on how tariffs reshaped espresso commerce in North America.

Specialty espresso expands in Canada

Veronica Ortiz Rodriguez, Model, Advertising and Client Expertise Lead for Rabbit Gap Roasters in Montréal, Québec, which opened in 2018, says the business continues to be discovering its ft. “Espresso in Canada has developed loads, nevertheless it’s nonetheless in transition. For a very long time, it was dominated by commodity espresso and bigger chains, and actually, that’s nonetheless the fact right this moment,” she tells me. 

“Specialty is rising, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a small a part of the general market. There’s extra consciousness round high quality and sourcing, however there’s nonetheless numerous work to be accomplished throughout the board.”

At present, the Canadian espresso business is valued at round CA$6.2bn and employs over 160,000 individuals.

“Vancouver feels just like the origin level for lots of Canada’s third wave espresso motion,” Adam explains. Vancouver roaster forty ninth Parallel, a Mix Silver Winner on the 2025 International Espresso Awards US & Canada version, opened its first café in 2007, spurring the expansion of the town’s specialty espresso scene. At present, different notable roasters and low retailers in Vancouver embody Nemesis, Revolver, Prototype, Propaganda, Pallet Espresso Roasters, Oidé Espresso, and extra.

Situated close to the Rocky Mountain foothills, Calgary is house to world-class roasters like Monogram, co-founded by seven-time Canadian Barista Champion Ben Put, and Phil & Sebastian, a Filter Gold Winner on the 2025 International Espresso Awards US & Canada version.

“Calgary has asserted its dominance over the ‘aggressive’ espresso panorama, and Toronto helped ‘commercialise’ and increase what specialty has develop into,” Adam says. 

Toronto’s espresso scene has exploded in recent times. Sometimes called the world’s most worldwide metropolis, the place greater than 140 languages are spoken, Toronto is house to Pilot Espresso Roasters (opened in 2009), Subtext Espresso Roasters, De Mello, Fika, Propellor, Library, Hatch, and extra.

Totally different cities, completely different espresso scenes

Recognized for its meals and jazz scene and European-inspired tradition, Montréal additionally has a thriving specialty espresso scene. “Ever the cultural hotbed, Montréal fostered a brand new era of micro-roasters with its pioneering of the co-op roasting house, permitting cafés to find out their choices at an entire new degree,” says Adam.

In 2018, Scott Rao and Andy Kyres based the Canadian Roasting Society, offering a inventive house for roasters to develop their abilities. Quite a few roasters and cafés additionally function in Montréal, together with Dispatch, Crew Collective, Eclair, 94 Celsius, Escape, Visitors, Jungle, and extra.

“Montréal stands out as a result of retailers are very intentional about their model id. Everyone seems to be attempting to carve out one thing distinct moderately than comply with an ordinary specialty template,” Veronica says. “It’s an actual melting pot past simply French and Anglo-Canadian influences, and that range exhibits up in how cafés method espresso and hospitality.”

Past main cities, locations like Edmonton, Ottawa, and Halifax are house to distinctive cafés and roasteries. Pioneers like North Roast Espresso Roasters, one of many first specialty espresso roasters in Kingston, Ontario, have been working for nearly three a long time – defining native espresso scenes.

“Specialty espresso is actually all over the place in Canada because of the eagerness that’s been fostered from coast to coast”, says Adam.

A specialty espresso market that stands out as its personal

With annual espresso consumption steadily rising, Canada’s specialty market will proceed its upward trajectory. Because it beneficial properties a global fame for distinctive espresso, Canada more and more stands out in opposition to its southern neighbour, the US – one of the crucial established coffee-consuming nations on the earth.

“Canadians are deeply recurring espresso drinkers. We’re one of many highest per-capita consuming nations on the earth, however for a very long time, the tradition was extra about ritual than high quality,” Adam says. “Tim Hortons’ Double-Double – brewed espresso with two lotions and two sugars – is virtually a nationwide icon, and there’s something genuinely comforting about that custom.

“Most Canadians go for a very good old style cup of drip espresso,” he provides. Analysis from the Espresso Affiliation of Canada, nonetheless, finds that 29% of Canadian adults had an espresso-based drink previously day – signalling a shift in client behaviour.

Inexperienced espresso sourcing practices are additionally evolving. “There’s a small however rising shift towards long-term relationships with producers, not simply shopping for espresso 12 months to 12 months. Extra firms, like our companions Semilla Espresso, and what we’re constructing right here at Rabbit Gap, are committing to working with the identical producers crop after crop,” Veronica explains. 

“That additionally means paying increased costs than native markets, investing in infrastructure or schooling when and the place wanted, and supporting tasks which can be socially ahead and rooted in actual influence at origin,” she provides. “It’s much less about surface-level narratives and extra about giving producers the instruments to construct independence and long-term success inside their very own communities. 

“This type of consistency plus shared progress continues to be not the norm, nevertheless it’s the place the business must go if we’re critical about sustainability and fairness.”

Unprecedented challenges emerged – and Canadians tailored

The US and Canada have one of the crucial open commerce relationships on the earth. However in February 2025, US President Trump’s 25% tariffs threatened the US$2.5bn value of products and providers crossing the border day by day.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney retaliated by imposing tariffs on imported items from the US, together with espresso. This raised costs for Canadian roasters who relied on US inexperienced espresso importers, a few of which have a well-established presence within the Canadian market.

In response, some roasters might have switched to homegrown importers. However with Canada’s essential transport port positioned in Delta, British Columbia, elevated transport prices had been additionally a priority.

Though espresso has since been exempted, US-Canada tariffs stay in place – straining a traditionally pleasant commerce relationship. Trump’s remarks about making Canada the “51st State” had been additionally met with intense backlash, even prompting some café homeowners to rename the americano because the “Canadiano” as an act of defiance.

Tariffs examined the resilience of the Canadian espresso business, with many roasters reliant on cross-border provide chains. However its specialty espresso market continues to thrive.

From Vancouver’s pioneering third-wave manufacturers to Montréal’s revolutionary micro-roasters, Canada has constructed a very distinctive espresso scene. Every metropolis presents its personal distinct espresso expertise, and with consumption rising, the nation is on monitor to maintain defining specialty espresso tradition by itself phrases.

Loved this? Then learn our article on why roasters are persevering with to collaborate.

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