Messaging and social video platforms are important ways that new Canadians stay connected with friends and family in their home country and to find news, services and entertainment in Canada, according to a recent Strategic Counsel study.
The market research firm’s New Canadians Report 2025, which surveyed those who arrived as permanent residents from 2019 to 2024, found that Meta platforms are the most popular, with 75% saying they used WhatsApp in the past week, followed by Facebook at 72% and Instagram at 68%. Other platforms used by new Canadians include TikTok (28%), Snapchat and X (25%) and Reddit (17%).
Creators and influencers are also key information sources for newcomers, with 63% saying they followed or watched creators on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram or other platforms before arriving in Canada or during their early days as a way to learn about life in Canada.
According to the study, new Canadians spend nearly six hours each day using their mobile devices or are online via a laptop, desktop or tablet, with newcomers splitting their time evenly between PCs and mobile phones.
Kaan Yigit, Strategic Counsel principal and SVP, says that what makes this study unique is the focus on new Canadians arriving as permanent residents. “Those arriving as permanent residents truly drive household growth,” Yigit says. “Over 50% have kids in the home versus the Canadian average of 32%, and we know they’re here to stay.”
Yigit adds, however, that the federal government announced last October it would cut the projected number of new permanent residents to 395,000 in 2025, down from 485,000. It’s planning further cuts to 380,000 in 2026 and 365,000 in 2027.
The report found that, on average, new Canadians spend 2.9 hours per day using a PC, laptop or tablet, and 2.9 hours using a mobile phone for activities such as social media, streaming, gaming or search. Television accounts for an additional 1.9 hours daily, while radio listening and newspapers, print or digital, adds another 1.5 hours.
Those who arrived in the country in the last two years tend to have slightly higher mobile and PC usage at 3.2 and 3.1 hours per day respectively.
When it comes to their TV and video viewing, new Canadians most frequently view Netflix (17%), CBC (13%), CTV (10%) and YouTube (9%), followed by CNN (6%), Global and City TV (5% each).
Channel preferences differ slightly by cultural background. Those with Chinese backgrounds most frequently mentioned CCTV while CBC was a favourite among those from Filipino backgrounds, followed by CTV and GMA Pinoy. Most popular among those with South Asian backgrounds are Zee TV and Sony TV along with mainstream Canadian networks including CBC and CTV.
Netflix was cited by 61% of newcomers as the most popular video streaming service, followed by Amazon Prime Video at 40% and Disney Plus at 18%. A variety of culturally specific and in-language platforms were also used. Those with South Asian backgrounds used Zee5, SonyLIV and Hotstar while others such as those with Chinese backgrounds mentioned iQIYI, Mango TV and Fun.TV.
Preferences for print and online media were a similar mix of mainstream names including The Toronto Star, Globe and Mail and Montreal Gazette while those with a Chinese background also mentioned Sing Tao and Ming Pao.
The New Canadians Report (NCR) is an independent syndicated study based on 1,008 online and mobile interviews with permanent residents who arrived between 2019 and 2024, with an oversample of 2023-2024 arrivals. The research, conducted in December 2024, included newcomers from China, South Asia, The Philippines, North Africa, West Asia and the Middle East, as well as Latin and Central America. The interviews were conducted in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal and surrounding geography.
