Nearly 40 per cent of those under 36 in B.C. don’t eat meat: Study

British Columbia appears to be leading a dietary revolution as nearly four in 10 British Columbians 35 and under say they follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, according to national survey data.

That’s more than three times higher than the average for all Canadians.

“It’s quite astonishing,” said Sylvain Charlebois, dean of the faculty of management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. “These numbers are the highest in the country.”

Among Canadians of all ages, 7.1 per cent identify as vegetarian and 2.3 per cent as vegan, Charlebois said. Those rates show no signs of growth, he said.

In B.C., about 8.6 per cent are vegetarian and 3.9 per cent are vegan, according to the poll of 1,049 Canadians. That makes us about 35 per cent more likely to go meat-free than the average Canadian.

But the numbers for young British Columbians stunned Charlebois. More than 28 per cent of British Columbians 35 and under are vegetarian and 9.2 per cent are vegan.

“British Columbians are the vegan and vegetarian champions of Canada,” he said.

Vegetarians exclude meat from their diet, while vegans also abstain from any animal or animal-derived products including dairy, eggs and honey.

Meat-free eating is strongly associated with higher education: “People with a university degree are three times more likely to consider themselves vegetarians or vegans than those with a high school diploma.”

Also, people who earn more than $150,000 per year are twice as likely to consider themselves vegetarians or vegans than consumers earning less than $80,000.

“I’m not surprised by (B.C.’s) results,” said Erin Ireland, a food reporter who has emerged as a local evangelist for plant-based eating. “Vancouver in particular is known for having great plant-based restaurants. It’s becoming a real destination for travellers who want to eat plant-based food.”

Ireland was a gradual convert to veganism. She grew up as a daily meat-eater and an animal lover until the dissonance between her diet and her beliefs grew too loud to be ignored.

“I realized that I couldn’t be an animal lover and still eat animals,” she said.

She said she feels a strong obligation to her readers and the downstream impacts of her work.

“As a food reporter, what I recommend to people has a negative or positive effect,” she said. “What I tell people through social media is like word of mouth on steroids, so I couldn’t imagine supporting the meat industry when it’s hurting animals and our health.”

Ireland’s Instagram and Twitter accounts are awash in recipes and pictures of vegan cuisine.

She advises would-be vegans to go slowly, and to begin by throwing away the traditional dinner plate with a protein, a carb and veggie.

“It’s no longer a three-component dish. It’s more of a bowl with a base like grain, then vegetables, toppers and sauce,” she said. “I like to share what I eat in a day so that people can see how easy it is. It’s just regular food — stuff they are already eating.”

About 40 per cent of Juniper’s recently revamped menu is vegan or vegetarian, according to Warren Chow, executive chef of the Chinatown hot spot.

“Our bestseller is roasted cauliflower with Brussels sprouts gratin with cashew cheese sauce, which is completely vegan,” he said.

“Having a menu that caters to a meat-free vegan crowd is extremely important,” he said. “Especially when they look at a menu and have more than one appetizer or just one main course to choose from.”