- On
- 22 Nov 2024
- Reading time
- 4 minutes
Whatever you like to do, these days you can probably do it over the internet. As our lives move online full-time, new forms of entertainment and leisure time activities are becoming widespread, changing our lifestyles for better or for worse. Almost everyone in Canada has access to the internet, so it’s no surprise that many people use it to fill spare time with meaningful or at least interesting content.
Since there are so many websites and apps competing for your attention, it can be difficult to decide what to prioritise. Let’s examine how most people in Canada spend time online and which services are the most popular for casual use.
Social Networks
While the nadir of hype for social networks may have passed, they remain by far the most visited online destinations. More than three quarters of Canadians are regular social media users, with all generations well-represented on major platforms. There are some differences between generations regarding the role of social media in their lives – for younger people these websites serve as primary sources of information about the world and a way to make and maintain friendships. A wide range of social platforms are popular among Canadian citizens, with Facebook having around 26 million users in the country, followed by LinkedIn and Instagram which both top 20 million. Tik Tok is rapidly gaining ground and already has 15 million subscribers in Canada – more than Instagram. In other words – if you want to pick up cool trends, find out about events, or just hang out with peers, social networks are still the place to be.
Video Streaming Services
Why go to the movies when you can play any movie you can think of at home? Video streaming services like Netflix and HBO Max have completely changed how people in Canada consume cinematic content. With relatively affordable subscription prices and huge catalogues of films and TV shows, these platforms are rapidly becoming the default way to watch new releases or revisit old favorites. The competition in the streaming business is heating up, with Apple TV, Disney Plus, Hulu, and several other sites offering lots of exclusive content. Basically, these services have taken the place once occupied by television and now represent the top entertainment channel for a majority of Canadians. Many households use multiple services to get the broadest coverage, which can add up to significant cost – an average family in Canada is spending around $200 annually for this pleasure.
Music Streaming Websites
Much like multimedia streaming platforms, services specialised for music are growing rapidly. Users enjoy the freedom to buy only the songs they like rather than whole albums, while the convenience of playing music from a smartphone is unmatched. Canadians are increasingly warming up to this kind of service –22% of the residents were paying for a music streaming subscription in 2022, with a strong trend of growth. Between Spotify, Deezer, Pandora, and SoundCloud, Canadians have plenty of great choices and that’s before accounting for the corporate giants – Apple Music and Amazon Music. You can find pretty much every artist on these platforms, so it really makes no sense anymore to keep offline audio collections when you can just log in and play any song even if you are away from home.
iGaming Websites
Games of chance are another very popular form of online content, and they are getting more and more diverse and engaging. Online gambling is legal in all provinces in Canada, although specific rules may apply depending on your exact location. For example, if you want to play in Quebec you only need to be 18 years old but in other parts of Canada the minimum age might be 19. Adult Canadians have nothing against this kind of entertainment, and many among them are members of one or more iGaming sites. There are different options here – from classic bookmakers and fantasy sports platforms, to online casinos and tournament sites. This market is already worth billions of dollars, and it is projected to maintain a steady 6% annual growth by the end of the decade, driven by an insatiable desire to get an instant adrenaline rush over the web.
Dating Sites
In addition to all other online activities, people from Canada are highly likely to search for romantic partners using online platforms. Of course, dating websites like OKCupid and eHarmony and mobile apps like Tinder have been around for long time so pretty much everyone knows how to use them and what to expect. Increasingly, Canadians are realising this way of meeting people can save a lot of time and result in a better match than just randomly speaking to someone at a bar. The number of users doubled between 2018 and 2022, so currently approximately one in ten Canadians is on dating apps. While that may not seem like a huge number compared to popularity of some other online services mentioned above, it represents a major shift in behavior of the population. With so many people finding success on dating sites, this way of searching for a soul mate will continue to be normalised among all age groups.
Keep Your Online/Offline Balance!
As you can see, there is no shortage of fun things to do online but it’s important to consume them in moderation. Spending too much time glued to the screen can lead to health issues and complicate your social life. Enjoy your favourite online forms of entertainment responsibly, and don’t forget to turn off the phone from time to time and get outside for a change.
