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Our latest forecasts for CTV and digital video viewers in Canada show that audiences are now a match for linear TV and exceed it in some age groups.

The news: Gander Social is an upcoming Canadian social platform built on the decentralized AT Protocol, similar to Bluesky. Gander rejects algorithmic feeds, ad surveillance, and dark UX patterns, per Metricool. As an alternative to networks like X, Meta鈥檚 Threads, and Bluesky, it offers user-controlled content, privacy by design, and community-first tools鈥攈osted entirely within Canada. It will be available as a closed beta in August. Our take: As algorithmic fatigue and platform distrust grow, demand is rising for community-driven, ad-light spaces. Marketers should watch Gander as a testbed for the next wave of privacy-first, hyper-local platforms.

A trade war with the US will hinder economic performance in Canada this year. Ad spending overall is expected to lose the momentum gained in 2024. But many digital formats will benefit from the emphasis on return on ad spending.

The slide accelerated after February 1, when the administration imposed tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China. Although some levies were later delayed, uncertainty only deepened as officials layered on additional duties. The fallout was swift: Consumer sentiment sank to its second鈥憀owest reading on record in April.

LinkedIn doubles down on B2B video and CTV: New tools help marketers capture attention and drive full-funnel impact.

Canadian banks have heavily invested in digital development, yet their mobile apps remain uniform and lack standout features, according to J.D. Power. While mobile apps perform reliably, satisfaction gains are seen mainly in credit card and website platforms. AI integrations like virtual assistants have failed to personalize experiences. Key missing features include clear transaction data, stored debit cards, and Gen Z鈥檚 most demanded functions like electronic direct deposits and subscription controls. To differentiate, banks must enhance mobile app experiences by adding unique, customer-desired features and improving personalization and security.

In Canada, it鈥檚 nine in 10 people in the population,鈥� our analyst Bill Fisher said on an episode of 鈥淏ehind the Numbers.鈥� 鈥淭his is a really, really valuable piece of advertising real estate.鈥�. The reach isn't the only attractive factor for marketers: CTV advertising offers rich features for advertisers like segmentation, targeting, and greater control over frequency.

OTT video is popular whether it鈥檚 free or paid. Every global region and country we track is engaged with these platforms, some very deeply. But new viewers will be hard to find.

The first game, 鈥淭he Six,鈥� turns passive ad breaks into bite-sized trivia experiences, and is now available to advertisers in the US and Canada. GameBreaks appears in the first ad slot of commercial breaks and allows for brand customization, from theming to question content.