The latest data on internet use in Canada
To help advance the national conversation about the internet’s role in our lives, CIRA publishes its Canadian Internet Trends report—previously known as Canada’s Internet Factbook—on an annual basis.
CIRA’s vision is a safe, secure and trusted internet that empowers all Canadians to achieve their economic, social and cultural potential. Understanding how Canadians access and use the internet is an important step in making this vision a reality.
Read on to learn more about Canadian internet trends in 2026.
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Key findings
Buy Canadian: Nearly two-thirds (65 per cent) of online shoppers prefer to make purchases from Canadian retailers when they have the choice. More than half of those who favour buying Canadian say the main reason is to support the Canadian economy or local businesses.
Digital sovereignty and privacy: Two-thirds (67 per cent) of respondents say it is important that their personal data be stored on servers located in Canada. Canadians report taking a range of actions to address their privacy concerns, including declining app permissions (41 per cent) and deleting apps (34 per cent).
Cyberattacks and data breaches: Almost one-fifth (18 per cent) of Canadians say they have been the victim of a successful cyberattack or data breach. Among this group, 57 per cent say the cause was a data breach that impacted a company or service they use. Separately, 60 per cent say they frequently or occasionally received suspicious or fraudulent messages online in the past 12 months.
Generative AI use: Nearly half (46 per cent) of all respondents say they have used a generative AI tool or platform in the past year, up from 33 per cent in 2025 and 16 per cent in 2024.
AI as a search tool: More than half (52 per cent) of generative AI users in Canada say they used AI as a search engine in the past year. But only 19 per cent say they always verify AI-generated information using another source, suggesting that AI is becoming an information tool faster than verification habits are keeping up.
Deepfakes and false content: More than half (53 per cent) of Canadians say they encountered AI-generated fake content in the past year, and 16 per cent say they have liked, shared or re-shared content they later learned was fake, misleading or untrue.
Full survey results
The Strategic Counsel conducted the 2026 Canadian Internet Trends survey, gathering input from 2,000 adult Canadian internet users (18+) through an online panel. The goal of the survey was to identify trends in Canadian internet access and use.
Executive summary
More than half (53 per cent) of Canadians spend five or more hours online per day, and 86 per cent made an online purchase in the past 12 months.
While it is no surprise to learn that Canadians rely on the internet for work, shopping, entertainment, information and essential services, what is changing is how they engage online.
From seeking out Canadian retailers to navigating the opportunities and risks of AI, Canadians are becoming more intentional about where they spend their money, who they trust and where their data is stored.
Buy Canadian
Most Canadian internet users shop online and want to support Canadian businesses. Eighty-six per cent say they made an online purchase in the past year. Among these shoppers, 65 per cent say they prefer to buy from Canadian businesses when they have the choice. More than half say their main motivation is to support the Canadian economy or local businesses. One-quarter (25 per cent) cite broader Canada–U.S. economic and political tensions as part of their motivation.
Cost remains the leading factor in online shopping decisions. When asked to select all factors they consider important, 62 per cent of online shoppers chose cost or savings, followed by shipping costs (54 per cent), availability of items (47 per cent) and ease or convenience (47 per cent). When asked to choose just one most important factor, cost or savings still ranked first, at 27 per cent.
Digital sovereignty
A notable new finding in the 2026 report is that two-thirds (67 per cent) of respondents say it is important that their personal data be stored on servers in Canada. When it comes to privacy, Canadians report taking actions such as declining app permissions (41 per cent), deleting apps (34 per cent), using ad blockers (27 per cent), changing privacy settings (27 per cent) and using a VPN (22 per cent).
Digital sovereignty concerns are not prompting a mass shift in consumer behaviour, however. Just five per cent of respondents say they switched to a Canadian service because of privacy concerns. At the same time, Canadians are more comfortable making transactions on Canadian retail and government websites than on U.S. retail sites. This preference reflects concerns about where systems are based, who controls them and how safe they feel to use.
Deepfakes, disinformation and data breaches
Canadians are navigating a more deceptive and complex online environment. Nearly one-fifth (18 per cent) say they have been victimized by a cyberattack or data breach. Among those affected, the most common cause was a data breach at a company or service they use (57 per cent), followed by phishing or fake emails and text messages (17 per cent), weak or stolen passwords (14 per cent) and malware or virus infections (13 per cent). Sixty per cent of Canadians say they frequently or occasionally received suspicious or fraudulent messages online in the past 12 months.
Canadians are also coming across more fake or deceptive information online, raising new challenges around trust and verification. More than half (53 per cent) say they encountered AI-generated fake content in the past year, a sharp increase from 34 per cent in 2025 and 20 per cent in 2024. In addition, 16 per cent liked, shared or re-shared content they later learned was fake, misleading or untrue, up from 13 per cent in 2025 and nine per cent in 2024.
Deepfakes cause significant concern among Canadians. Forty-nine per cent believe they present a threat to elections in Canada and elsewhere, and 69 per cent say people should not be allowed to post or share deepfakes on social media platforms. However, views on regulation are more nuanced than a simple blanket ban. More than one-third (36 per cent) of Canadians say the creation and sharing of all kinds of AI-generated fake content should be prohibited or illegal, while 35 per cent say only some kinds should be prohibited or illegal.
Generative AI
Generative AI use is rising quickly in Canada. Nearly half of respondents (46 per cent) say they have used a generative AI tool or platform in the past year, up from 33 per cent in 2025 and 16 per cent in 2024.
The way Canadians use generative AI continues to evolve. Their top uses are as a search engine (52 per cent), to experiment and see how it works (42 per cent) and to create written content for personal use (35 per cent). Search use is up and experimentation is down compared with 2025. At work, the most common uses of AI are speeding up tasks or saving time (38 per cent), creating written content (34 per cent) and brainstorming ideas (29 per cent).
Among Canadians who say they have not used generative AI, the leading reasons are lack of interest (41 per cent), lack of need (40 per cent), lack of trust (37 per cent) and disagreement with the use or ethics of AI (25 per cent). Overall, Canadians lean toward being concerned about AI. More than half (56 per cent) say they are concerned about generative AI, while 26 per cent say they are excited about it.
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Buy Canadian movement alive and well online