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This spring, radio remained a meaningful part of Canadians’ everyday lives—at home, on the go, and everywhere in between. Out-of-home tuning was especially strong, with listening woven into commutes, errands, travel, and daily routines. Streaming also continued to play an important role, highlighting the many ways Canadians connect with radio throughout the day.
Radio Keeps Pace with Life on the Go
As the weather warms up, radio continues to be a natural part of Canadians’ daily routines—especially outside the home. In Spring 2026, 68% of all A25-54 radio tuning happened out of home, compared to 32% in home. Out-of-home (OOH) listening was especially strong during Drive (80%) and Daytime (75%), highlighting radio’s ability to reach people. Even in the evening and on weekends, about two-thirds of listening still took place outside the home.
Listening Time Remains Strong Across Canada
Radio remained a consistent part of Canadians’ weekly routines this spring, with listeners across the country spending an average of nearly 7 hours per week tuning in.
At the market level, Montreal led the way, with both Franco and Anglo audiences averaging around 8 hours each week. Toronto followed at 7 hours, while listeners in Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver each spent about 6 hours per week with radio. Compared to last spring, tuning also edged up in Montreal Anglo (+3%) and Vancouver (+2%).
Out-of-Home Listening Patterns Differ Across Canada
Out-of-home radio tuning remained strong across major markets in Spring 2026, but the balance between in-home and out-of-home listening varied by city. These market-level differences help paint a more complete picture of how and where audiences are tuning in.
Calgary stood out with the highest share of OOH tuning at 86%, up notably from 77% last spring. Vancouver and Edmonton also recorded strong OOH levels at 76% and 73%, respectively, while Toronto remained steady year over year.
Montreal continued to show a different listening pattern, with a stronger concentration of in-home tuning than other markets, particularly among Anglo audiences. Even so, OOH listening remained an important part of the story, especially among Montreal Franco listeners, where it accounted for 58% of tuning.
Live Radio Streaming* Continues to Capture Listeners Everywhere
Live radio streaming* continues to strengthen its role in Canadians’ audio mix, gaining traction across key audiences and markets. This spring, streaming accounted for 11% of total AM/FM radio listening among Canadians 12+, rising to 13% for Adults 18–34 and 15% for Adults 25–54. Among the A25–54 group, Vancouver led the way at 21%, followed by Montreal Anglo at 17% and Montreal Franco at 15%.
Seasonal Listening Trends Highlight Radio’s Flexibility
Broadcast radio continues to account for the majority of radio listening among Canadians 12+, while seasonal shifts offer a clear view of how listening habits change throughout the year.
In the warmer months, out-of-home broadcast tuning picks up as Canadians spend more time commuting, travelling and enjoying time outside the home. In fall and winter, in-home listening becomes more prominent as daily routines move indoors.
Streaming remains a smaller but steady part of the overall mix across seasons, with in-home streaming making up the larger share and out-of-home streaming remaining consistent throughout the year.
Source: Numeris Radio PPM, Total Meter CTRL, Spring 2026 (Weeks 27-39), Mo-Su 2a-2a, 12+/A18-34/A25-54, AMA(000), AvWkCume(%), AvHoursWk(Lis) *Disclosure: AM/FM Live Streaming includes listening on personal computers, smartphones, tablets, smart speaker, etc. The Numeris radio meter service measures the internet stream of member stations separate from their over the air signal. The live internet stream is identical in programming content.