This year I spent my summer vacation in different cities in Canada. From Vancouver I went to Halifax. From Halifax I went to Montreal and from Montreal to Toronto. I also visited some smaller towns and villages around the big cities.
During the trip I tried to taste as many natural and local waters as possible. One thing I can already reveal. The selection was very limited. In most supermarkets you can find either international brands like Evian, Fiji and San Pellegrino or purified and bottled tap water like Smart Water and Dasani. Only Flow was able to compete as a natural water, bottled in Canada and available nationwide in the resorts I visited.
I would have liked at least a top 10. Due to the small selection, it is ultimately a top 8. Here are Canada's best drinking waters:
No. 1: Canada Geese - I was able to taste Canada Geese during my visit to the Luckett Winery in Nova Scotia. It is one of the few Canadian mineral waters. The water itself has a high amout of total dissolved solids (1,195 mg per liter) compared to other Canadian waters. Calcium stands out with 292 mg. I particularly liked the fact that it is a sparkling mineral water, which was an excellent match for the dry white wines from the Luckett Winery.
No. 2: Flow Water - Flow is a 100% natural alkaline artesian spring water. I especially like the nationwide distribution and the variety of products. In addition to the natural spring water, the company also offers water with different flavors. Flow has a total mineralization of 340 mg per liter, including 78 mg of calcium and 30 mg of magnesium.
By the way, I was lucky enough to visit the company and talk about how they got started and the Canadian water market (read the report here).
No. 3: Saint-Justin - Saint-Justin is a spring in the Laurentian mountains of Quebec. This mineral water, rich in sodium chloride (415 mg sodium, 350 mg chloride), was discovered in 1895. In addition to these two minerals, it also contains 560 mg of bicarbonate. It is interesting that other minerals are hardly present or not present at all. The total mineralization is 1,341 mg.
No. 4: Whistler - The Coastal Mountains of British Columbia are home to ancient glaciers. Here, time and pressure turn snow into ice, which eventually becomes Whistler Water. Because the glacier water flows so little through layers of rock (granite), it contains very few minerals (49 mg per liter). I was lucky enough to enjoy this water during my stay in Whistler, along with the unforgettable and beautiful nature.
No. 5: Montellier - The water comes from an underground spring in Sainte-Brigitte-de-Laval, Quebec, covered by a thick layer of clay. Montellier is a low mineralized water that is only available in a sparkling version. When I add up the minerals on the website, I come up with 219 mg per liter.
No. 6: Naya - The spring water also comes from Quebec. It is bottled in Mirable, at the foot of the Laurentian Mountains. The name "Naya" comes from the "Naiads", who in Greek mythology were the goddesses of thermal water and the immortal guardians of rivers, fountains and springs. Total dissolved solids are 250 mg per liter.
No. 7: Clearly Canadian - Unfortunately, the website gives no indication of where the water comes from. It simply says that the source is an aquifer deep in the pristine and protected Canadian wilderness. It is also confusing that "Clearly Sparkling" refers to naturally carbonated mineral water, while the flavored "Originals" appear to be spring water. The total dissolved solids are 250 mg per liter.
No. 8: Canadian Springs - Anyone visiting the Canadian Springs website will quickly discover that this is a water supplier that also sells coffee and tea products, among other brands of water. Canadian Springs can be found under the "Large Bottles" tab. Surprisingly, the water is not only available as spring water, but also as distilled water. Unfortunately, there is no information about the spring itself. Nevertheless, I was glad to be able to have Canadian Springs water on vacation instead of drinking (purified) tap water.
Conclusion:
As you can see, the selection of natural waters in Canada is not very large. Nevertheless, I found some very interesting waters in Canada, which will enrich my water collection at home. Once again, I am very happy about the wide range of interesting mineral waters in Germany and Europe.
By the way, natural spring or mineral water is very expensive in Canada compared to Europe. I hardly found any water under 1.50 Euro per 500ml. The price is on the level of soft drinks. For someone like me who drinks 2-3 liters of water a day, this was not exactly cheap. But I was happy to invest the six euros a day in my health.
Many greetings
Timo Bausch
Certified Water Sommelier
About Timo Bausch
My fascination with mineral waters began in 2016 during my training as a Water Sommelier. Since then, I have been exploring the characteristics and diversity of water. In addition to pairing water with food, wine, coffee and other beverages, I offer the creation of water menus for restaurants and hotels. Furthermore, it is also important to me to draw attention to the importance of drinking water.
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