Compiled with the help of Colette Brin and Sébastien Charlton Centre d’études sur les médias, Université Laval.

Canada’s media were already in trouble before the COVID-19 pandemic, with a range of government support in place and on the way for commercial media. This was amid widespread fears that local newspapers in particular are struggling to fulfil their democratic function.

Top Brands

Changing Media

Traditional media habits such as television and print have fallen significantly over the last six years, while online and social media use has slightly grown. More than half of our Canadian respondents (53%) now get news from social media, and the smartphone has surpassed the computer as the most used device for news.

Trust

Despite a fall in media trust (-8) over the past year, more people are now paying for online news (+4), suggesting a new tax credit for digital subscriptions might help some publishers offset their growing losses suffered during the pandemic. The most trusted brands in Canada tend to be domestic commercial and public service broadcasters.