VOD Evolution is the 6th consecutive study by Roku on the state of TV streaming and addressable TV advertising audiences in Canada. The study covers:
- Sizing up the streaming audience
- How Canadians watch live
- What TV streamers want
Download the whitepaper now and discover what advertisers need to know for 2026. The key takeaway is that TV streaming is growing, so it should be in the media mix and grow at pace with usage.
Of all TV streamers:
- 2 hours per week on ad-supported streaming content (excludes online video).
- 85% stream ad-supported services, up from 69% last year. Reach the remainder of streamers on the TV home screen.
- 83% of 18-34s find interactive ads on the TV useful, such as receiving an email offer by clicking OK on the remote
- 56% watch live or scheduled channels via streaming services
- 43% are watching cable channels via streaming services
What’s new: Canadian TV streamers are much more willing to see ads
Ad-supported streaming is now the norm. 85% of all TV streamers use ad-supported streaming services, a dramatic increase from 69% last year. This is great news for advertisers seeking greater reach in-stream.
85% of Canadians surveyed are TV streamers, and 85% of them can be reached with in-stream advertising in AVOD, BVOD, and ADSVOD platforms.
ADSVOD, an ad supported subscription service, drove much of this growth. In the past year, many streamers decided to exchange lower costs for ads, moving from SVOD to ad-tiers – with usage growing from 46% to 69% YoY.
Canadians consume plenty of live TV, but not always on cable
Many Canadians haven’t lost their appetite for live TV – they are gradually changing how they access it.
More than half (56%) of streamers watch live or scheduled programming via TV streaming platforms, including FAST channels and broadcaster apps. These lean-back experiences mimic traditional cable, complete with scheduled programming and built-in ad breaks.
TV streamers want help finding content – brands can help
Content discovery remains a challenge with TV streamers. But here’s the opportunity: 65% of streamers say ads that help them find content are useful, and 37% would feel more positively toward brands that sponsor curated playlists found on the TV home screen.
Whether it’s a Halloween movie collection or a Super Bowl watchlist, sponsored content can turn ads into helpful recommendations to boost brand affinity and engagement.
TV streamers also want easy access to offers from brands promoted in ads, with the majority finding shoppable TV ad formats to be useful. The study finds which formats consumers find the most useful, to support campaign planning in driving consumers down the funnel.
Canadian culture matters
Responses to ads are better if they that reflect Canadian culture and values. Agree vs disagree, TV streamers overall are:
- 4.5x more likely to feel positively toward brands that highlight Canadian-made products
- 3.3x more likely to prefer ads that reflect Canadian culture
- 2.7x more likely to remember a brand if its ad includes something distinctly Canadian
Download this year’s whitepaper below
TV streaming is growing. It isn’t just part of the media plan, it’s central to it. Get prepared for the year ahead with the latest insights.
