Viewership on streaming platforms is continuing to grow in Canada, according to data published in the Canada Media Fund’s (CMF) latest key trends report.

Titled Where No Screen Has Gone Before – Charting a Course for the Future of Media and released Thursday (Feb. 17), the annual report offers a snapshot of consumer consumption habits and analysis of key trends and shifts in the digital landscape.

The CMF report includes data from audience analytics tool GlobalWebIndex about the viewing and social media habits of Canadians between the ages of 16 to 64 from 2019 to 2021.

The findings show that while the average Canadian anglophone and francophone audiences still spent more time watching linear TV (approximately two hours per day) than streaming services (less than an hour and a half per day) in 2021, the gap between the two has narrowed. In comparison, more than two hours were spent watching linear TV in 2019 and just over an hour for streaming services.

However, the average monthly use of streaming services is higher. Roughly 92% of anglophone Canadians said they used an on-demand streaming platform in the last month while 82% said they watched live TV. For francophone Canadians, 89% used streaming services and 84% watched live channels.

Looking specifically at the platforms audiences are using, Netflix was the streamer most-used per month with an average 66% of anglophone Canadians and 62% of francophone, followed by YouTube (59%/53%), Amazon Prime Video (40%/24%) and Disney+ (29%/22%). The Canadian streaming platforms most used per month by anglophone Canadians were Crave (14%) and CBC Gem (10%) while francophone Canadians used Tou.TV Extra (19%) and Club Illico (15%).

Engagement on social media and podcasts is also on the rise, with Facebook and Instagram considered the most popular social media platforms for Canadians.

Outside of the data, the report digs into the possibilities of the Metaverse, where audiences are capable of escaping into a completely immersive experience. It also highlights the need for digital equity as access to the internet is more critical than ever, looking at impacts to remote communities, specifically for Canada’s Indigenous population.

Among the key trends identified for the screen sector are: Co-creation models, where engaged audiences are able to contribute to the creative development of a project, be it a location or character design; opportunities to create supplement information about a program for viewers who look at online content on their phone while watching TV; how the potential end of cookies in 2022 due to changes in privacy regulations in Canada may affect data used to track audience habits; the growth of New Zealand-based film review site Letterboxd as a key resource for cinephiles to discover new films or re-discover forgotten gems; and the continued opportunities to tap into social media engagement and crowdfunding to attract audiences.

“This report is a snapshot of where we are and offers insights into trends and transformations that will shape the audio-visual industry in 2022. We hope this report will guide you in exploring new territories as we all work together to thrive in this constantly changing business, ” said CMF president and CEO Valerie Creighton in a statement.

The CMF also rolled out its Persona-ID self-identification system this week, which will be used on a voluntary basis in funding applications beginning on April 1. The tool allows CMF to measure and monitor demographic representation of parties applying for funding, looking at both the individuals with majority ownership of companies and key creatives. The information will remain confidential, but CMF will publish “anonymous and aggregated data” to give a snapshot on the demographics of funding applicants.

Illustration by Ka Young Lee courtesy of CMF