New Data from Tubi and Harris Poll Highlights How Streaming is Shaping Community, Fandom and Purchase Behaviour Among Canadians
Toronto, Mar. 17, 2026 — Tubi (www.tubi.tv), Fox Corporation’s (NASDAQ: FOXA, FOX) ad-supported streaming service, today released its annual cultural insights report “The Stream” for the first time in Canada, examining how streaming entertainment is influencing consumer behavior. Tubi, one of the largest and fastest growing free, ad-supported streaming services in Canada, partnered with The Harris Poll to conduct research providing a deep dive into the streaming behaviors of Canadians, especially Gen Z, and how marketers can reach these audiences amid the evolving entertainment landscape.
This first edition of The Stream Canada, “The Stream 2026: When Intention Becomes Attention,” finds that streaming behaviours are shifting as audiences prioritize fewer platforms, seeking value through free and ad-supported content as consumers look to push back on rising subscription costs. This shift is also fueling new viewing communities, with nostalgia-driven discoveries bringing audiences back to beloved older titles, offering new communal viewing experiences and creating fandoms. As Canadians revisit familiar content and watch together, streaming is increasingly becoming a shared cultural experience that builds moments across generations.
“Canadians are taking a more intentional approach to streaming, seeking greater control over what they watch and when, and increasingly viewing ads as a fair exchange for free content,” said David Salmon, International Executive Vice President and Managing Director at Tubi. “With the launch of The Stream Canada, we’re offering new insights into the country’s evolving streaming landscape, including the growing shift toward free services and how long form entertainment continues to foster connection and community.”
Highlights from “The Stream 2026: When Intention Becomes Attention” include:
- Canadians are becoming more intentional about their watching habits with 76% saying on-demand streaming gives them more control over what they watch and when. As they make more deliberate decisions about where to invest their time, money, and attention, 84% of Canadians agree that watching ads is a fair trade off for access to free streaming content. 79% noted that they have, or would, end a streaming subscription due to price increases, and 82% say switching to a free streaming service helps manage rising costs.
- Streaming has re-entered the living room, not as scheduled programming, but as a shared experience among both family and friends. 75% of Canadians say they stream together with members of their household as a form of quality time, 43% primarily stream with a significant other and 52% stream with people they do not live with, including visiting friends or family.
- Deep catalogues enable rediscovery, cross-generational viewing, and repeat engagement. In a landscape defined by constant choice, familiarity and fandoms shape viewing habits. Comedy (70%), action (64%), and crime shows/movies (63%) rank as the top 3 genres across streaming in Canada, while emerging categories are building future fan bases including independent film (40%), coming-of-age TV shows / movies (33%), and “romantasy” (31%).
- Expansive libraries increase the likelihood that viewers discover content that introduces them to communities they want to explore. 79% say they have discovered lots of older content that is new to them from browsing streaming services, and 78% agree that streaming services should remind them of content they used to love.
- Nostalgic content continues to attract attention but fresh, creator content is driving new viewers. As audiences discover new shows and revisit classics, 97% of Canadians express an interest in nostalgia viewing. At the same time, 63% say watching digital creator content feels no different than streaming a TV show, and 67% say digital creator content feels more original than many traditional TV shows or movies. Reflecting how viewing habits continue to evolve, 77% say they want creator and traditional content available within the same environment.
- For many, entertainment choices function as signals and provide opportunities to explore new communities. 65% of Canadians say they feel part of a community based on the movies or shows they watch and 71% say they talk about content with others after viewing. Viewers’ favorite fandoms most commonly fall into movies (41%) and TV shows (38%).
- Canadians are increasingly choosing to engage with brands that reflect their interests. From ad content to the broader consumer journey, such as subscriptions and retail purchases, fandoms are playing a growing role in brand loyalty. 57% of Canadians agree they are more likely to support brands when their fandoms are reflected in advertising and 67% of Canadians say they’re loyal to streaming services that support their fandoms. Fans show dedication outside of streaming as well, with Canadians purchasing apparel (45%), physical media (36%), and subscriptions (30%) to show their dedication.
With nearly 218,000 movies and TV episodes available in Canada, Tubi has established leadership in the Canadian market by housing the country’s largest free collection of Hollywood movies, TV Shows, creator-led stories, and Tubi Originals in the market. Designed for deep dives, hidden gems, and rabbit hole watching, Tubi delivers entertainment that feels personal, playful, and made for every fan to explore stories they love or discover new ones. Combined with fast, intuitive, hyper personalized streaming built for how Canadians actually watch content, Tubi continues to grow its share of streaming viewership. Among free ad-supported streaming services in Canada, Tubi has emerged as one of the leading platforms and offers innovative ad products to deliver measurable outcomes for brands seeking young and incremental audiences.
The Stream Canada highlights the growth of fully free streaming services in Canada. Turning data into insights, the report will continue to be released annually, breaking down the rapidly evolving AVOD landscape for marketers across the country.
For more information and to download The Stream Canada 2026: When Intention Becomes Attention please visit here.
About Tubi
Boldly built for fandom, Tubi is a free streaming service that entertains over 100 million monthly active users globally and offers one of the world’s largest collections of Hollywood movies and TV shows, alongside thousands of creator-led stories and hundreds of Tubi Originals. In Canada, the platform continues to grow as a destination for bold, fan-driven entertainment. Headquartered in Toronto and San Francisco, Tubi was founded in 2014 and is part of Tubi Media Group, a division of Fox Corporation.
Methodology
The Stream 2026 Canada Edition is based on a nationally representative online survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Tubi from November 24 to December 2, 2025, among 1,000 Canadian adults aged 18+ who stream video at least one hour per week and live in Canada.
Results were weighted to reflect national census demographics including age, gender, region, and household income. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.*Select qualitative commentary reflects themes observed in the U.S. edition of The Stream 2026.
