When it comes to drinking, there are two Montreals.

Very different drinkers, but pretty similar drivers.

Montreal, September 10th, 2015 When it comes to drinking alcohol, a notable gap
separates francophone Montrealers, whose drinking habits and models are very close to
the Quebec average, from non-francophones, who are significantly further from it. The
two groups come together when the issue is impaired driving, only to separate again
with regard to awareness and appreciation of ducalcool.
These are the salient points of the Montreal-region results in the most extensive survey
ever of Quebecers and alcohol, conducted by CROP for ducalcool. The survey, which
paints a detailed portrait of drinking in the province, region by region, was made public
today by ducalcool Director General, Hubert Sacy.
The facts show two distinct Montreals, he said.
A positive picture
The same percentage of francophone Montrealers drink alcohol as the Quebec average
(82% in both cases), while only 65% of non-francophones drink, bringing the Montreal
average to 74%.
Most Montrealers drink moderately and reasonably. They drink primarily at home (78%
- but thats 87% of francophones and 67% of non-francophones) or at friends homes
(76%). Two thirds of them (66%) drink in restaurants and 41% do so in bars, which is
much higher than the Quebec average (27%). This puts them solidly in first place on
that score.
As in the rest of Quebec (32%), wine is the preferred drink of Montrealers (30%: 39%
among francophones and 20% among non-francophones). The same holds true for beer,
which 35% of francophones list as their favourite, compared to only 12% of nonfrancophones. Overall, 40% of Montrealers drink once a week or more (Quebec = 47%),
but the figure is an average of 58% for francophones and 21% for non-francophones.
On average, Montreal drinkers drink less than the Quebec average (3.1 drinks a week
vs. 3.3), but non-francophones, who have 2.1 drinks a week, bring down the average:
francophones have 3.8 drinks. And while drinking frequency in Montreal is the same as
the Quebec average (1.5 days a week), francophones (1.9 days) drink twice as often as
non-francophones (1 day).
However, whereas francophones are slightly ahead of non-francophones (77% vs. 68%)
when it comes to exceeding low-risk drinking, the difference between the two is erased

when it comes to excessive drinking: both are around the Quebec average (43% vs.
42%).
Finally, 4% of Montrealers noted that their drinking had affected their health, which is
right on the Quebec average, while 3% said it had affected their relationships with
friends (Quebec = 2%).
No differences for impaired driving
There are fewer drivers in Montreal (71%) than in Quebec as a whole (84%): 79% of
francophones and 63% of non- francophones drive.
Montrealers are below the average (46% vs. 50%) when it comes to the percentage of
people who say they stay within the legal limits when driving, but Montreal drivers are
less responsible than the Quebec average: 8% of them admit having drunk more than
the legal limit, while the Quebec average is 6%.
This is no doubt due to the fact that they saw fewer roadblocks than the average (29%
vs. 33%), even though, paradoxically, 80% of francophones said they had not seen a
police roadblock for a year, compared to 55% of non-francophones. Whats more, only
14% of francophones and 37% of non-francophones said they had been through a
police roadblock. Not surprisingly, the difference remains when both groups are asked if
they think it likely that they will be stopped if they drive while impaired (F= 41%, NF =
60%).
ducalcool: known and recognized
A full 96% of francophone Montrealers know the ducalcool slogan, La modration a
bien meilleur got/Moderation is always in good taste (Quebec average = 92%), while
only 72% of non-francophones know it, although the figure is still very respectable.
Moreover, to the delight of ducalcool, 92% of francophone Montrealers and 83% of
non-francophones think the organization is credible.
- 30
Source: ducalcool
Information and interviews:
Marie-Pier Ct
Cell. : 418-999-4847
mpcote@tactconseil.ca