More restaurants in Manitoba will display information outlining nutrition content in their meals.
Sodium levels, calories and protein are among the items that will be listed.
The industry said the Informed Dining program will help people make healthy choices.
"Some people want a veggie burger because they want lower calories - but it could have three times the sodium as other menu items,” said Garth Whyte, president and CEO of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association.
Some of restaurants set to participate include Tim Hortons, MacDonald’s Restaurants and Dairy Queen.
Boston Pizza and Subway already show customers nutrition information, the province noted.
Even though the program is voluntary, the province believes it will encourage more restaurants to display the contents of their food.
"I think people will start asking for it. Within a very short time, it will be the expectation of the restaurant,” said Jim Rondeau, minister of health living.
A similar program is already in place in B.C.
Tim Hortons said making the currently voluntary program a law would add regulations and enforcement that would cost taxpayers.
But MacDonald’s Restaurants supports the idea of a mandatory program.
“We have no problem if it becomes mandatory. We think it would be a good thing. Then, more of the industry would become part of the program and that's good for Canadian consumers," said Sherry MacLauchlan from MacDonald’s Restaurants of Canada.
CTV News contacted a number of smaller, independent restaurants in Winnipeg on Monday about the voluntary nutrition guide program.
They said listing nutrition information on all their food options would be too cumbersome. One restaurant said it has 150 items, which aren’t always prepared the same way, meaning information in a nutrition guide would not always be accurate.
- with a report from Jeff Keele
