Canadian OTT Subscription Revenue Grew 15 per Cent in 2025: Couch Potato Report

Why It Matters

The shift underscores accelerating consumer migration to streaming, pressuring legacy pay‑TV operators and reshaping advertising spend across Canada’s media landscape.

Key Takeaways

• OTT revenue hit $3.5 B USD in 2025, up 15%
• Forecast OTT revenue $4.0 B USD in 2026, 11.5% growth
• TV subscription revenue fell 5% to $4.6 B USD
• 48.5% households lack TV, rising to 57% by 2028
• Ad‑supported OTT plans cost 42% less than ad‑free

Pulse Analysis

Canada’s streaming market is entering a decisive growth phase. A 15% jump in OTT subscription revenue to roughly $3.5 billion USD in 2025 reflects both higher consumer willingness to pay and a broader catalog of services, led by Netflix. Price hikes averaging 7% across the top 10 providers indicate that operators are leveraging premium content and tiered features to boost margins, while ad‑supported tiers provide a cost‑effective alternative, delivering up to 42% savings compared with ad‑free bundles.

The surge in OTT comes as traditional television continues its decline. Cable, satellite and telco TV revenues slipped 5% to about $4.6 billion USD, and subscriber counts fell 4% in 2025. Nearly half of Canadian households now forgo a conventional TV subscription, a figure set to exceed half by 2028. This erosion accelerates the migration of advertising dollars toward streaming platforms, prompting brands to reallocate spend toward addressable, data‑driven ad formats that OTT services can offer.

Looking ahead, the report signals that broadband infrastructure will remain a critical enabler, with residential additions expected to stay robust through 2028, albeit at a slower pace than the 2019‑2024 boom. Wireless ARPU pressure adds another layer of complexity for telecoms, which must balance modest revenue growth with the need to bundle attractive streaming options. For incumbents, the strategic imperative is clear: invest in compelling OTT partnerships, refine ad‑supported offerings, and leverage broadband assets to retain relevance in a rapidly converging media ecosystem.