In Winter 2026, Canadians had more to watch than ever. From big moments like the Super Bowl and the Milano–Cortina Olympics to buzzy finales like Stranger Things on Netflix, screens were packed with options. Numeris’ National Video Audience Measurement dataset (VAM), makes sense of it all by bringing linear TV and digital viewing together in one place. With National VAM, you can clearly see what Canadians are watching — and how their habits are changing. So, what did all that choice mean for viewing this Winter? How did it compare to the Fall season? And did those patterns look the same across the country? Let’s take a closer look.
This Winter, streaming hours grew steadily across Canada when compared to the Fall, with Quebec Franco and Atlantic Canada seeing the most significant increase. Despite this surge in streaming, linear TV continues to hold a strong presence coast to coast, particularly in Quebec. This data shows that while Canadians are embracing streaming more than ever, linear TV also remains an important part of their daily lives.
Streaming in Canada hit new heights this past Winter, capturing viewers’ attention with a mix of compelling content. Weekly hours rose 6% compared to the fall, reaching 68% of Canadians and the average viewer spending approximately 15 hours a week streaming content. Growth was evident across all regions, with Western and Atlantic Canada standing out for particularly strong viewership.
YouTube remains Canada’s top streaming platform, accounting for 34% of all viewing. Social video platforms, including TikTok, Facebook Video, Instagram Reels, and Snapchat, are especially popular in Quebec Franco (29%), where short-form, shareable content resonates strongly in this region. YouTube performs well in Western Canada (36%) and the Atlantic (37%), while subscription services like Prime Video (19%) and Netflix (13%) are popular in Ontario, showing how streaming preferences differ across the country.
Prime Video saw a noticeable increase in both reach and days viewed per week while Netflix remained fairly steady in reach, though viewers spent slightly more days per week on the platform, at around 3. Disney+ holds consistent across both, showing little seasonal change. BVOD, on the other hand, gets a strong lift in weekly reach, helped in part by major events like the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Meanwhile, YouTube and TikTok see a small dip in weekly reach, but those who do use the platforms tend to visit a bit more often, leading to a slight increase in days viewed per week.
With National VAM, you can break down viewing by device type, which helps paint a clearer picture of how people are actually watching video. Prime Video and Netflix, for example, are mostly watched on the big screen, showing they are still very much a living room experience, while for Disney+, nearly a third of its viewing happens on the computer, suggesting more individual or flexible viewing. As you would expect, TikTok is preferred on the mobile device at approximately 62%. About half of BVOD viewing happens on the smart/connected TV, while YouTube follows a similar pattern to overall streaming, with viewing spread more evenly across devices.
Overall, video viewing shows just how flexible things have become, with people moving easily between linear TV and digital platforms depending on what they’re watching, where they are, and what device they are using. National VAM data helps bring all of this together, giving a clearer, more complete picture of how audiences behave. With this kind of view, it’s easier to make smarter decisions, whether that’s balancing linear and digital, reaching the right audiences, or planning campaigns that reflect how people really watch video today.