Canadians are streaming and doing so in a big way. In 2010, Canadians watched only 30 minutes of video streaming each week. Fast forward to 2018, the average Canadian streamed an average of 3.8 hours each week. In 2020, as people stayed home during the pandemic, the popularity of streaming services further increased.
A report from eMarketer says despite the influx of US-based services like Disney+ and Apple TV+ in the past year, and the presence of homegrown services like Bell Media’s Crave nationally and Vidéotron’s Club Illico in Quebec, Netflix is still by far the most popular subscription streaming service in Canada. It is estimated that Netflix viewers will grow by 13.4 per cent in 2020 and by 2024, there will be 18.4 million Netflix viewers in Canada. The same report highlights Amazon Prime Video as the second-most-watched streaming service in Canada.
While the majority of streams may be linked to Netflix, other streaming platforms are stepping up to offer quality programming. Though these recent entries are more niche, they offer enough content to make a subscription worth the price of admission.
In Canada, there are plenty of network channels that offer streaming on their websites, some paid and some free (for a limited time). But not all are open to stream; some require you to have a cable/satellite tv package. Note that subscription to cable tv might be expensive in Canada when compared to your home country.
If you’re contemplating subscribing to a video streaming service, here are some options for you to choose from.
List of some popular TV and movie streaming sites for Canadians
| Service Name | Starting cost | Number of simultaneous streams through a single account |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix | $9.99 CAD a month | Simultaneous viewing varies by plan – starting with a single screen for Basic plan, two for the Standard plan and four screens for the Premium plan. |
| CBS All Access | $5.99 CAD per month | Two simultaneous streams |
| Amazon Prime Video | $7.99 CAD per month OR FREE with Amazon Prime membership | Three simultaneous streams |
| Disney+ | $11.99 CAD per month | Four simultaneous streams |
| Apple TV+ | $5.99 CAD per month | Six simultaneous streams |
| Crave | $9.99 CAD per month | Two simultaneous streams |
| YouTube Premium | $11.99 CAD per month | Single stream only |
| CBC Gem | FREE | Unlimited |
| DAZN | $20 CAD per month | Three simultaneous streams |
| CTV | FREE through the mobile app | Unlimited |
| City TV | FREE through the mobile app | Unlimited |
Updated as of August 11, 2021.
| Wondering if subscribing to cable TV might be worth it? See Choosing between cable TV and streaming services in Canada to learn about some of the factors you should consider before you sign up with a cable TV provider or choose a streaming service. |
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