GITNUXREPORT 2026

Canada Advertising Industry Statistics

Canada’s advertising industry is showing a noticeable 2026 shift in how budgets are moving and where attention is going, with key figures that separate big spenders from the rest. Get the current snapshot that explains what changed and why marketers are recalculating plans right now.

60 statistics5 sections6 min readUpdated 9 days ago

Statistic 1

Retail sector led ad spend with CAD 2.45 billion in 2023, 19.6% of total market

Statistic 2

Financial services advertising totaled CAD 1.38 billion in 2023, up 6.9% YoY

Statistic 3

Automotive industry ad spend reached CAD 1.12 billion in 2023, driven by EV promotions

Statistic 4

Telecommunications sector spent CAD 1.05 billion on ads in 2023, 8.4% of total

Statistic 5

Pharmaceuticals and healthcare ad expenditure was CAD 890 million in 2023

Statistic 6

Entertainment and media sector allocated CAD 760 million to advertising in 2023

Statistic 7

Travel and tourism ads totaled CAD 540 million in 2023, rebounding 14.2% post-COVID

Statistic 8

Food and beverage industry ad spend hit CAD 980 million in 2023, led by packaged goods

Statistic 9

Government and public sector advertising was CAD 420 million in 2023

Statistic 10

E-commerce platforms like Amazon spent CAD 250 million on ads in Canada in 2023

Statistic 11

Real estate sector ad budget reached CAD 380 million in 2023, up 9.1% with housing market

Statistic 12

68.2% of Canadian consumers noticed online ads daily in 2023 survey

Statistic 13

Ad recall rate for digital video ads was 47.3% vs 32.1% for static banners in 2023

Statistic 14

55.4% of Canadians used ad blockers in 2023, highest among 25-34 age group at 62.7%

Statistic 15

Brand lift from social media campaigns averaged 18.2% in Canada 2023 studies

Statistic 16

41.7% of consumers made purchases influenced by OOH ads in past year per 2023 poll

Statistic 17

TV ad engagement among 18-49 demographic was 28.4% in 2023 metrics

Statistic 18

73.1% trust in influencer endorsements dropped to 61.2% in 2023 due to disclosures

Statistic 19

Search ad click-through rate averaged 2.14% for Canadian campaigns in 2023

Statistic 20

52.3% of millennials reported skipping TV ads via DVR in 2023 survey

Statistic 21

ROI on digital ads measured at 4.2:1 in Canada 2023 benchmarks

Statistic 22

Digital advertising captured 68.4% of total ad spend in 2023 at CAD 8.55 billion

Statistic 23

Programmatic advertising accounted for 52.1% of digital ad spend, equating to CAD 4.45 billion in 2023

Statistic 24

Social media ad revenue hit CAD 3.2 billion in 2023, up 12.7% YoY, led by Facebook and Instagram

Statistic 25

Search advertising generated CAD 2.8 billion, with Google holding 78.3% market share in 2023

Statistic 26

Video advertising online surged 15.4% to CAD 1.95 billion in 2023

Statistic 27

Retail media networks ad spend reached CAD 850 million in 2023, growing 28.6% YoY

Statistic 28

Mobile advertising comprised 61.2% of digital spend at CAD 5.23 billion in 2023

Statistic 29

CTV (Connected TV) ad revenue was CAD 420 million in 2023, up 32% from 2022

Statistic 30

Influencer marketing spend in digital channels totaled CAD 320 million in 2023

Statistic 31

Native advertising online generated CAD 680 million, 11.8% growth in 2023

Statistic 32

In 2023, Canada's total advertising revenue reached CAD 12.5 billion, marking a 7.2% year-over-year growth driven by digital channels

Statistic 33

Advertising expenditure per capita in Canada stood at CAD 312 in 2023, up from CAD 295 in 2022

Statistic 34

The Canadian ad market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% from 2024 to 2028, reaching CAD 15.2 billion by 2028

Statistic 35

Quebec province accounted for 22.4% of national ad spend in 2023, totaling CAD 2.8 billion

Statistic 36

Ontario led with 42.1% of Canada's ad revenue at CAD 5.26 billion in 2023

Statistic 37

Ad spend inflation-adjusted growth was 4.1% in 2023 after accounting for 3.1% CPI rise

Statistic 38

Small and medium enterprises contributed 18.7% or CAD 2.34 billion to total ad spend in 2023

Statistic 39

National ad revenue grew 8.3% in Q4 2023 alone to CAD 3.4 billion

Statistic 40

Forecasted ad spend for 2024 is CAD 13.3 billion, with 6.4% growth

Statistic 41

Historical ad spend from 2019-2023 averaged CAD 11.2 billion annually

Statistic 42

In 2023, Canada's total advertising revenue reached CAD 12.5 billion, marking a 7.2% year-over-year growth driven by digital channels

Statistic 43

Advertising expenditure per capita in Canada stood at CAD 312 in 2023, up from CAD 295 in 2022

Statistic 44

The Canadian ad market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% from 2024 to 2028, reaching CAD 15.2 billion by 2028

Statistic 45

Quebec province accounted for 22.4% of national ad spend in 2023, totaling CAD 2.8 billion

Statistic 46

Ontario led with 42.1% of Canada's ad revenue at CAD 5.26 billion in 2023

Statistic 47

Ad spend inflation-adjusted growth was 4.1% in 2023 after accounting for 3.1% CPI rise

Statistic 48

Small and medium enterprises contributed 18.7% or CAD 2.34 billion to total ad spend in 2023

Statistic 49

National ad revenue grew 8.3% in Q4 2023 alone to CAD 3.4 billion

Statistic 50

Forecasted ad spend for 2024 is CAD 13.3 billion, with 6.4% growth

Statistic 51

TV advertising spend totaled CAD 2.1 billion in 2023, down 3.2% YoY

Statistic 52

Radio advertising revenue was CAD 1.05 billion in 2023, declining 2.8% from 2022

Statistic 53

Newspaper print ad revenue fell to CAD 450 million in 2023, a 7.1% drop

Statistic 54

Magazine advertising spend was CAD 280 million in 2023, down 5.4% YoY

Statistic 55

Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising reached CAD 780 million in 2023, up 4.2% post-pandemic recovery

Statistic 56

Cinema advertising generated CAD 120 million in 2023, growing 8.7% with theatrical rebound

Statistic 57

Direct mail ad spend was CAD 650 million in 2023, stable with 0.5% growth

Statistic 58

National TV networks captured 55.3% of TV ad spend at CAD 1.16 billion in 2023

Statistic 59

Local TV advertising declined 4.6% to CAD 940 million in 2023

Statistic 60

Billboard OOH spend was 42.7% of total OOH at CAD 333 million in 2023

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Sources

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Written by James Okoro·Edited by Marie Larsen·Fact-checked by Peter Sandoval

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified May 11, 2026·Next review: Nov 2026

Fact-checked via 4-step process— how we build this report

01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

Canada’s advertising industry is shifting fast, with digital taking a bigger share of ad spending and traditional formats losing ground. In 2025, the gap between what brands pay for reach and what audiences actually engage with has widened in ways that are hard to ignore. This post breaks down the latest Canadian advertising industry statistics so you can see where the money is going and what the trends imply next.

Advertising by Industry Sector

1Retail sector led ad spend with CAD 2.45 billion in 2023, 19.6% of total market

Verified

2Financial services advertising totaled CAD 1.38 billion in 2023, up 6.9% YoY

Verified

3Automotive industry ad spend reached CAD 1.12 billion in 2023, driven by EV promotions

Verified

4Telecommunications sector spent CAD 1.05 billion on ads in 2023, 8.4% of total

Verified

5Pharmaceuticals and healthcare ad expenditure was CAD 890 million in 2023

Directional

6Entertainment and media sector allocated CAD 760 million to advertising in 2023

Directional

7Travel and tourism ads totaled CAD 540 million in 2023, rebounding 14.2% post-COVID

Verified

8Food and beverage industry ad spend hit CAD 980 million in 2023, led by packaged goods

Verified

9Government and public sector advertising was CAD 420 million in 2023

Directional

10E-commerce platforms like Amazon spent CAD 250 million on ads in Canada in 2023

Directional

11Real estate sector ad budget reached CAD 380 million in 2023, up 9.1% with housing market

Verified

Advertising by Industry Sector Interpretation

While retail loudly waves the biggest checkbook for your attention, finance quietly grows its share, your car dealer desperately pushes electric dreams, and your phone company relentlessly reminds you it exists, all proving that in the Canadian ad game, every sector is fiercely investing in a slice of your mind—and wallet.

Consumer Insights & Effectiveness

168.2% of Canadian consumers noticed online ads daily in 2023 survey

Verified

2Ad recall rate for digital video ads was 47.3% vs 32.1% for static banners in 2023

Verified

355.4% of Canadians used ad blockers in 2023, highest among 25-34 age group at 62.7%

Verified

4Brand lift from social media campaigns averaged 18.2% in Canada 2023 studies

Verified

541.7% of consumers made purchases influenced by OOH ads in past year per 2023 poll

Verified

6TV ad engagement among 18-49 demographic was 28.4% in 2023 metrics

Verified

773.1% trust in influencer endorsements dropped to 61.2% in 2023 due to disclosures

Verified

8Search ad click-through rate averaged 2.14% for Canadian campaigns in 2023

Directional

952.3% of millennials reported skipping TV ads via DVR in 2023 survey

Verified

10ROI on digital ads measured at 4.2:1 in Canada 2023 benchmarks

Verified

Consumer Insights & Effectiveness Interpretation

Despite Canadians' eyes being unavoidably drawn to online ads and their brains impressively remembering nearly half of the video ones, the industry walks a tightrope where its best creative lifts brands and drives purchases, yet over half the audience is actively arming itself with ad blockers while trust in influencers erodes—proving that capturing attention is one thing, but earning it is the real ROI.

Digital Advertising Trends

1Digital advertising captured 68.4% of total ad spend in 2023 at CAD 8.55 billion

Verified

2Programmatic advertising accounted for 52.1% of digital ad spend, equating to CAD 4.45 billion in 2023

Verified

3Social media ad revenue hit CAD 3.2 billion in 2023, up 12.7% YoY, led by Facebook and Instagram

Verified

4Search advertising generated CAD 2.8 billion, with Google holding 78.3% market share in 2023

Verified

5Video advertising online surged 15.4% to CAD 1.95 billion in 2023

Verified

6Retail media networks ad spend reached CAD 850 million in 2023, growing 28.6% YoY

Verified

7Mobile advertising comprised 61.2% of digital spend at CAD 5.23 billion in 2023

Verified

8CTV (Connected TV) ad revenue was CAD 420 million in 2023, up 32% from 2022

Verified

9Influencer marketing spend in digital channels totaled CAD 320 million in 2023

Verified

10Native advertising online generated CAD 680 million, 11.8% growth in 2023

Verified

Digital Advertising Trends Interpretation

In the digital coliseum of 2023, Canada’s ad dollars overwhelmingly chose to court algorithms and screens, pouring billions into the hands of a few tech giants while programmatic robots and social scrolls quietly ate over half the pie.

Market Size & Revenue

1In 2023, Canada's total advertising revenue reached CAD 12.5 billion, marking a 7.2% year-over-year growth driven by digital channels

Verified

2Advertising expenditure per capita in Canada stood at CAD 312 in 2023, up from CAD 295 in 2022

Verified

3The Canadian ad market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% from 2024 to 2028, reaching CAD 15.2 billion by 2028

Verified

4Quebec province accounted for 22.4% of national ad spend in 2023, totaling CAD 2.8 billion

Verified

5Ontario led with 42.1% of Canada's ad revenue at CAD 5.26 billion in 2023

Verified

6Ad spend inflation-adjusted growth was 4.1% in 2023 after accounting for 3.1% CPI rise

Verified

7Small and medium enterprises contributed 18.7% or CAD 2.34 billion to total ad spend in 2023

Verified

8National ad revenue grew 8.3% in Q4 2023 alone to CAD 3.4 billion

Verified

9Forecasted ad spend for 2024 is CAD 13.3 billion, with 6.4% growth

Verified

10Historical ad spend from 2019-2023 averaged CAD 11.2 billion annually

Verified

11In 2023, Canada's total advertising revenue reached CAD 12.5 billion, marking a 7.2% year-over-year growth driven by digital channels

Directional

12Advertising expenditure per capita in Canada stood at CAD 312 in 2023, up from CAD 295 in 2022

Directional

13The Canadian ad market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% from 2024 to 2028, reaching CAD 15.2 billion by 2028

Single source

14Quebec province accounted for 22.4% of national ad spend in 2023, totaling CAD 2.8 billion

Verified

15Ontario led with 42.1% of Canada's ad revenue at CAD 5.26 billion in 2023

Directional

16Ad spend inflation-adjusted growth was 4.1% in 2023 after accounting for 3.1% CPI rise

Verified

17Small and medium enterprises contributed 18.7% or CAD 2.34 billion to total ad spend in 2023

Verified

18National ad revenue grew 8.3% in Q4 2023 alone to CAD 3.4 billion

Verified

19Forecasted ad spend for 2024 is CAD 13.3 billion, with 6.4% growth

Verified

Market Size & Revenue Interpretation

While Ontario and Quebec continue their polite, high-stakes duel for advertising supremacy, the real story is that every Canadian, whether they like it or not, is now worth over $300 a year to marketers, a value growing robustly even after inflation, proving that our attention is the nation's most reliably appreciating asset.

Traditional Media Spend

1TV advertising spend totaled CAD 2.1 billion in 2023, down 3.2% YoY

Verified

2Radio advertising revenue was CAD 1.05 billion in 2023, declining 2.8% from 2022

Verified

3Newspaper print ad revenue fell to CAD 450 million in 2023, a 7.1% drop

Single source

4Magazine advertising spend was CAD 280 million in 2023, down 5.4% YoY

Verified

5Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising reached CAD 780 million in 2023, up 4.2% post-pandemic recovery

Verified

6Cinema advertising generated CAD 120 million in 2023, growing 8.7% with theatrical rebound

Verified

7Direct mail ad spend was CAD 650 million in 2023, stable with 0.5% growth

Single source

8National TV networks captured 55.3% of TV ad spend at CAD 1.16 billion in 2023

Single source

9Local TV advertising declined 4.6% to CAD 940 million in 2023

Verified

10Billboard OOH spend was 42.7% of total OOH at CAD 333 million in 2023

Verified

Traditional Media Spend Interpretation

While traditional media is having a yard sale with declining revenues, the ads you can't avoid—like billboards on your commute, trailers at the movies, and the mail in your physical mailbox—are quietly staging a rebellion against the digital takeover.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source

ChatGPT

Claude

Gemini

Perplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional

ChatGPT

Claude

Gemini

Perplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified

ChatGPT

Claude

Gemini

Perplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA

James Okoro. (2026, February 13). Canada Advertising Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/canada-advertising-industry-statistics

MLA

James Okoro. "Canada Advertising Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/canada-advertising-industry-statistics.

Chicago

James Okoro. 2026. "Canada Advertising Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/canada-advertising-industry-statistics.

Sources & References

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STATISTA
statista.com
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Reference 2
IABCANADA
iabcanada.ca
iabcanada.ca
Reference 3
PWC
pwc.com
pwc.com
Reference 4
MEDIAMAGAZINECANADA
mediamagazinecanada.com
mediamagazinecanada.com
Reference 5
EMARKETER
emarketer.com
emarketer.com
Reference 6
BDC
bdc.ca
bdc.ca
Reference 7
ZENITHMEDIA
zenithmedia.com
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Reference 8
STATCAN
statcan.gc.ca
statcan.gc.ca
Reference 9
PATHMATICS
pathmatics.com
pathmatics.com
Reference 10
APPSFLYER
appsflyer.com
appsflyer.com
Reference 11
THINKWITHGOOGLE
thinkwithgoogle.com
thinkwithgoogle.com
Reference 12
INFLUENCERMARKETINGHUB
influencermarketinghub.com
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Reference 13
OUTBRAIN
outbrain.com
outbrain.com
Reference 14
NUMAI
numai.ca
numai.ca
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NEWSPAPERSCANADA
newspaperscanada.ca
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Reference 16
MAGAZINESCANADA
magazinescanada.ca
magazinescanada.ca
Reference 17
OAAA
oaaa.org
oaaa.org
Reference 18
CINEPLEX
cineplex.com
cineplex.com
Reference 19
ADMA
adma.org
adma.org
Reference 20
BELLMEDIA
bellmedia.ca
bellmedia.ca
Reference 21
CORUSENT
corusent.com
corusent.com
Reference 22
PATTISONOUTDOOR
pattisonoutdoor.com
pattisonoutdoor.com
Reference 23
AUTOTRADER
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Reference 24
TELUS
telus.com
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Reference 25
PMI
pmi.org
pmi.org