Statistics Canada says production reached 9,870 tonnes in the first quarter of 2026, up from 8,571 tonnes a year earlier. Producers are expanding capacity as retailers report shortages, with major dairy companies investing in new facilities to boost future supply.

Gay Lea Foods is investing more than 200 million Canadian Dollars to expand its Toronto production facility, with work expected to be completed by 2028. The company says the project will help ease a national cottage cheese shortage. Experts say consumers are increasingly choosing dairy as an affordable source of protein, while social media platforms such as TikTok have helped sustain interest in the product.