Canada’s two sets of alcohol limits, explained

Canada has two sets of official-looking alcohol limits, and they do not agree. Health Canada’s low-risk drinking page lists up to 10 standard drinks a week for women and 15 for men, while the 2023 national guidance endorsed by the country’s chief medical officers of health says even three to six drinks a week carries a moderate risk.

The gap comes down to timing. Health Canada’s low-risk alcohol drinking guidelines page, which showed a modified date of March 25, 2025 when reviewed on Oct. 16, 2026, says women should limit alcohol to no more than two standard drinks a day, 10 a week and three on special occasions. For men, it lists three a day, 15 a week and four on special occasions. Both are told to avoid drinking on some days. The page does not mention the newer guidance.

That newer guidance is Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health , released by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) on Jan. 17, 2023. It drops the separate numbers for women and men. According to the CCSA, one to two standard drinks a week is low risk, three to six is a moderate risk, and seven or more is an increasingly high risk. It also says no more than two drinks should be had on any one day, and that less alcohol is better for health.

On Jan. 18, 2023, the Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health, published by the Public Health Agency of Canada , endorsed the new guidance. Its members include the chief medical officers of health from the provinces and territories (except Quebec) and Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer. The statement said alcohol is linked to an increased risk of at least seven types of cancer, and that modest drinking gives no protective effect against heart disease, contrary to a common belief.

The council said drinking more than two drinks on one occasion is associated with a higher risk of harm to oneself and others, including injury and violence. It also said even modest reductions in drinking can lower the risk of harm, and that awareness alone is not enough without broader public health policies.

What counts as one drink is the same in both documents. Health Canada defines a standard drink as 17.05 millilitres, or 13.45 grams, of pure alcohol. In practice, that is a 12-ounce (341 ml) bottle of 5 per cent beer or cider, a five-ounce (142 ml) glass of 12 per cent wine, or 1.5 ounces (43 ml) of 40 per cent spirits. Many restaurant pours, craft beers and home-poured glasses are larger than that, so a single glass can count as more than one standard drink.

On pregnancy, the messages line up. The council’s statement says there is no known safe amount of alcohol for people who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding. Health Canada’s page advises pregnant women to avoid drinking alcohol. Information on fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is available through the Public Health Agency of Canada.

The Health Canada page also lists limits for youth who drink with parental consent: no more than twice a week and no more than one or two standard drinks each time. The newer guidance, as described by the CCSA, does not set out youth limits in the material reviewed for this article.

The mismatch has been noted before. Canada News Media reported in January 2025 on the conflicting advice on low-risk drink limits , and the Health Canada page still carries the older numbers.

For people trying to make sense of the two sets of numbers, the practical difference is the starting point. The older guidelines frame 10 or 15 drinks a week as a ceiling. The 2023 guidance frames the first drink as the start of a risk that rises with each additional one, and the chief medical officers described it as a way for individuals to assess their own drinking.

Anyone worried about their own or someone else’s drinking can talk to a doctor, pharmacist or provincial health line about local services. People in distress can call or text 9-8-8, Canada’s suicide crisis helpline, and our explainer on how the 9-8-8 helpline works covers what to expect.

This article is based on official guidance from Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada and is provided for general public information. It’s not a substitute for medical advice, if you have questions about how this applies to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

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Sources: Health Canada, low-risk alcohol drinking guidelines ; Public Health Agency of Canada, CCMOH statement on alcohol consumption ; Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health .

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