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April 28, 2026FOOD SERVICES AND DRINKING PLACES, FEBRUARY 2026 Monthly (February 2026 vs January 2026, seasonally adjusted)

Nova Scotia food services and drinking places receipts increased by 2.5% to $211.5 million in February, the fastest increase among provinces. Canada's food services receipts rose by 0.6% to $8.76 billion, with increases in eight provinces. Alberta and Québec reported the only declines.
Year-over-year (February 2026 vs February 2025)
Nova Scotia reported a year-over-year gain of 6.5% in food service receipts. Canada's food services receipts increased 6.2% with year-over-year gains in all provinces with the strongest gain in Manitoba. New Brunswick reported the slowest gain.

Year-to-date (January-February 2026 vs January-February 2025)
Nova Scotia's year-to-date food service receipts increased 5.6%. Nationally food service receipts increased 5.8%. All provinces reported a year-to-date increase in receipts, with Manitoba reporting the largest increase. Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick reported the slowest gains.

Nova Scotia's year-to-date gains in food service receipts (in value terms) are mainly attributable to the increases in full service eating places, with a smaller rise for limited and special food services (mobile, and catering) receipts. Nova Scotia drinking places reported slightly lower year-to-date receipts compared to the same period last year.

Special food services and full service restaurants reported the strongest growth rates in percentage terms, while drinking places had the only decline.

Trends
Nova Scotia's food service receipts exhibit more volatility than national food service receipts, but in recent months Nova Scotia's receipts have grown faster than the national trend.

Source: Statistics Canada. Table 21-10-0019-01 Monthly survey of food services and drinking places (x 1,000)
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