YouTube Dominates Canadian Streaming Wars

YouTube now leads Canadian streaming television, surpassing major rivals like Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney. Recent data from Numeris for the period of September 1 to November 30, 2025, indicates YouTube was the most-viewed video service among Canadian adults aged 18 to 44.

This positions YouTube as having the largest ad-supported reach in Canada among all streaming platforms available to consumers, including local options like Crave. This trend mirrors U.S. data from Nielsen's The Gauge report, which also shows YouTube as the top streaming service.

The shift in viewing habits aligns with the decline of traditional cable bundles, allowing Canadians to curate their streaming choices more affordably, often with ad-supported tiers. YouTube Canada's Head of Video Strategy, Peter Hand, highlighted this engagement, stating Canadians "choose to watch what they love," and increasingly, that means YouTube.

For marketers, YouTube's leadership offers an opportunity to connect with a highly engaged audience. YouTube Canada plans to release further Numeris data later this summer to assess the sustainability of its dominant position in the Canadian market.