Vividata has released its most recent channel-specific insights into Canadian consumption habits across all major media in its Study of the Study of the Canadian Consumer Spring 2025 report. The report looks at how OOH ads performed and where viewers are spending their time. The findings are divided by age, region and the influence of advertising across each media platform.

When studying OOH data, Vividata found more than half of Canadians (19.6 million) see OOH ads on average per week, and one million Canadians under 35 made a purchase after seeing an OOH ad in the past week, according to the study.

Vividata’s report also found that most people are seeing the ads on transit, followed by shopping centres and retail stores, roadside or parking billboards, restaurants, elevators and washrooms. 

Older Canadians notice static OOH along transit, roads or shopping areas, while younger Canadians notice them in recreation areas or elevators, Vividata found. Younger Canadians are most likely to notice digital OOH ads outside of those located at roadside or in parking areas.

When looking at viewership data, Vividata found Netflix remains the most popular paid streaming service watched in an average week in both English (36%) and French Canada (27%).

The next three favourites are Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Crave. Their choices diverge after that with English Canada turning to Apple TV+, Paramount+, YouTube Premiums and Bell Fibe TV App. The preferences for French Canadians are Helix, YouTube Premiums, Apple TV+ and Bell Fibe TV App.

Both English and French Canadians agree on YouTube being their top streaming service watched. It has 31% reach in English Canada and 28% reach with French Canadians. CBC Gem, Tubi, Roku, Pluto TV and CTV.ca/app are the other favourites of English Canadians. Noovo, Tou.tv, Roku, Pluto TV and Tubi are the preferences in French Canada.

The top linear channels in English Canada are Global (24% weekly reach), Sportsnet (22%), CBC (21%), CTV (20%) and CityTV (19%). The French Canadian linear favourites are TVA (39% weekly reach), ICI Radio Canada (35%), Noovo (28%), LCN (22%) and Tele-Quebec (19%).

The internet and social media are popular across the country with Canadians spending an average of 27.1 hours per week online via any device, 20.1 hours on mobile and 16.6 hours with social media. Those living in Ontario are the most active at 27.5 hours a week on any device, 20.9 hours via mobile and 16.7 hours on social media.

Younger Canadians are more likely to be online with social media, playing games, messaging and accessing other media such as online shopping, short and long-form video, music streaming, podcasts or radio. Older Canadians prefer to text and shop online. Canadians under 35 (4.9 million) use social media as their main source for news.

Although two in five younger Canadians access news on social media, nearly half (46%) of those 25 to 49 say it’s harder to find news they can trust on social media compared to a year ago.

Digital ads tend to capture the attention of Canadians under 50. Under 25s are the most likely to notice while browsing or streaming, and 25 to 34s are the most likely to notice ads in email or in a digital magazine or news app.

Radio and audio content is popular with 60% of Canadians 14+ tuning in during an average week and spending an average of 13.4 hours a week listening. Reach is highest in Quebec (62%) while those in the province spend the most time spent listening (13.9 hours). Reach is lowest in British Columbia (56%) and Atlantic Canada (59%) while hours spent listening are consistent with the average at 13.5 hours and 13.8 hours respectively.

Canadians that usually listen to radio/audio in a variety of formats spend more time listening in an average week (14.7 hours). In-vehicle listening is the most dominant venue for listening to radio/audio content (12.5 hours).

Magazine readers spend 2.4 hours reading print and 2.4 hours reading digital magazines in an average week.

Nearly half (47%) of Canadians 14+ read newspapers daily in an average week. Quebec has the heaviest readership for daily newspapers across all audience metrics with 49% reach, 2.0 hours spent with print newspapers and 7.9% with digital newspapers. Daily newspaper reach the most Canadians in Victoria, Montreal and Quebec City.