Home/Services/Connected TV
Connected TV Advertising — Canada

TV ADVERTISING.
DEMYSTIFIED.

The connected TV landscape is full of jargon — AVOD, SVOD, FAST, CTV, programmatic. We cut through all of it. Plan and buy CTV advertising across Canada on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Paramount+, Roku and Samsung Ads — plus full programmatic access via StackAdapt and The Trade Desk. Direct, targeted, accountable.

Talk to Us About CTV
$1.29bn
Canadian CTV Ad Market — 2026 Forecast (USD)
IAB Canada / AtlanticAds Research, 2026
+16%
CTV Ad Spend Growth Year-on-Year
IAB Canada, 2026
13.4hr
Weekly Streaming — Canadian Average
Vividata Fall 2025
90%+
Video Through-Rate — CTV Unskippable
MiQ research, 2024
The Opportunity

TV ADVERTISING
HAS CHANGED.
THE OPPORTUNITY
HAS GROWN.

The way Canadians watch television has fundamentally shifted — and for advertisers, that shift has created opportunities that simply did not exist five years ago.

Canadians now spend an average of 13.4 hours per week streaming video — and all age groups under 55 spend more time watching digital content than linear TV. The Canadian CTV advertising market reached $1.29 billion USD in 2026, growing at 16% year-on-year — the fastest-growing channel in the IAB Canada report. Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and Paramount+ have all opened ad-supported tiers, and programmatic CTV is scaling rapidly across Roku and Samsung inventory.

The shift from linear to streaming is not a future trend. It has already happened. The question for advertisers is not whether to be in this space, but how to navigate it intelligently.

Our Approach

DIRECT BUYS.
NO JARGON.
CLEAR RESULTS.

We buy CTV across Canada — direct relationships with Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Paramount+ and Samsung Ads, plus full programmatic access via StackAdapt and The Trade Desk on Roku and across the open CTV ecosystem. Complete transparency on where your budget is going, what it costs, and what it delivers.

We also believe the CTV space has a jargon problem. AVOD, SVOD, FAST, OTT, programmatic, addressable — the acronyms multiply faster than most marketers can track them, and too many agencies use the confusion to their advantage. We don't. Our job is to explain exactly what each environment is, what it delivers, and which one is right for your brief.

Below is our plain-English guide to the Canadian CTV landscape. No jargon. No obfuscation. Just a clear lay of the land — because that is where good planning starts.

The Landscape — Demystified

WHAT ALL THE
ACRONYMS ACTUALLY MEAN

The Canadian connected TV market uses four main models for delivering video content — and each one has a different advertising opportunity attached to it. Here is what they are, in plain English.

AVOD
Advertising-Based Video On Demand
Free streaming services funded entirely by advertising

AVOD platforms offer free content to viewers supported entirely by advertising revenue — no subscription required. The audience accesses content for free in exchange for watching ads, making reach potentially very broad. In Canada, the fastest-growing AVOD format is FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) — linear-style channel experiences delivered over the internet without a login or payment.

Samsung TV Plus (via Samsung Ads) and the Roku Channel are the leading FAST/AVOD environments in the Canadian market. Ads are typically unskippable within the stream, with completion rates above 85%.

Samsung TV PlusRoku ChannelPlex TVCrackle
SVOD
Subscription Video On Demand
Subscription streamers now offering ad-supported tiers

SVOD platforms — Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+ — have historically been advertising-free. That has changed. All three now offer lower-cost ad-supported subscription tiers, opening up advertising inventory that was previously unavailable to brands entirely.

The audiences are premium — subscribers who have actively chosen to pay for content — and the brand environment is highly controlled. These are among the most brand-safe placements available in Canadian streaming, with completion rates consistently above 90% on unskippable formats.

NetflixAmazon Prime VideoParamount+Disney+
FAST
Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV
Linear-style TV channels, delivered over the internet, free

FAST channels replicate the experience of traditional linear TV — scheduled programming, no on-demand selection — but delivered via the internet on smart TVs and streaming devices. No subscription, no login required. Content ranges from news and sports to niche genre channels and archive programming.

FAST is the fastest-growing segment of connected TV in Canada and North America. Samsung TV Plus and the Roku Channel are the dominant FAST platforms. Advertising is sold programmatically or directly and is typically unskippable — viewers accept ads as the cost of free content.

Samsung TV PlusRoku ChannelPlex TVCrackle
Programmatic CTV
DSP-Traded Connected TV Inventory
Buying across all CTV environments through a single platform

Programmatic CTV means buying streaming video inventory through a Demand-Side Platform (DSP) — rather than negotiating directly with each publisher. StackAdapt and The Trade Desk are the two leading DSPs for CTV in Canada, providing access to inventory across AVOD, FAST, and ad-supported SVOD tiers through a unified buying interface.

Programmatic CTV enables audience-first targeting — buying against demographic, behavioural and location data rather than a specific show or channel. It is particularly effective for precision targeting, cross-device campaigns and brands with limited budgets who need reach efficiency across multiple platforms simultaneously.

StackAdaptThe Trade DeskRoku OneViewAmazon DSP
The Short Version

IF YOU ONLY
REMEMBER FOUR THINGS

AVOD
Free streaming with ads — Samsung TV Plus, Roku Channel and others. Broad reach, no subscription required, unskippable formats. The free-to-access tier of CTV.
SVOD
Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+ — subscription services with new ad-supported tiers. Premium audience, premium environment, previously unavailable to advertisers.
FAST
Free linear-style TV channels over the internet — Samsung TV Plus, Roku Channel and Plex TV. No login, no subscription, no on-demand. Scheduled channels funded entirely by advertising.
Programmatic
StackAdapt and The Trade Desk — buy across all CTV environments through a single DSP. Audience-first targeting. Reach efficiency across multiple platforms on one budget, one plan.
Where We Buy

THE PLATFORMS
WE BUY DIRECT

Amazon Prime Video
SVOD · Ad-Supported · Amazon Retail Data

Amazon Prime Video introduced advertising across Canada in early 2024 — and the unique advantage is Amazon's own retail and purchase intent data, which can be layered onto audience targeting. Prime Video is one of the most-watched streaming services in Canada, and its ad inventory is available programmatically via the Amazon DSP or through direct placements. Particularly powerful for retail, e-commerce and direct response brands.

Top-3 streamer in Canada · Amazon retail data integration · Unskippable formats
Netflix
SVOD · Ad-Supported Tier · Premium Environment

Netflix's ad-supported tier is now available in Canada — giving advertisers access to one of the most engaged streaming audiences in the country. Viewers on the ad-supported plan have actively chosen to pay for Netflix content while accepting advertising, creating an exceptionally brand-safe, high-attention environment. Inventory is available through The Trade Desk and select direct partners.

Canada's most-used streaming service · Premium brand-safe environment · Unskippable formats
Paramount+
SVOD · Ad-Supported · Growing Canadian Subscriber Base

Paramount+ offers an ad-supported tier in Canada with access to a deep catalogue of Paramount, CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon and BET content. Its particular strength is sport, drama and family content. The platform's Canadian subscriber base has grown significantly since launch, and its ad inventory provides access to a diverse, highly engaged audience at competitive CPMs.

Strong in sport, drama and family content · Ad-supported tier available · Competitive CPMs
Roku
CTV Platform · Programmatic Inventory · Roku Channel

Roku is the leading streaming platform in North America — and a significant CTV buying opportunity in Canada through two routes. First, the Roku Channel provides AVOD and FAST inventory directly. Second, Roku's OneView DSP enables programmatic buying across the broader Roku ecosystem and third-party CTV inventory. Roku's first-party data on streaming behaviour is one of the strongest audience signals available in CTV.

Leading streaming platform in Canada · AVOD + programmatic access · Strong first-party data
Samsung Ads
AVOD · FAST · First-Party Smart TV Data

Samsung Ads combines Samsung TV Plus (a FAST channel network) with Samsung's unique automatic content recognition (ACR) data — derived from what viewers actually watch on millions of Samsung smart TVs. This gives Samsung Ads a targeting capability that no broadcaster or streaming service can replicate: deterministic data on linear TV exposure, enabling genuine incremental reach measurement against existing TV campaigns.

ACR data across Samsung smart TVs in Canada · Samsung TV Plus FAST inventory · Incremental reach measurement
StackAdapt & The Trade Desk
Programmatic CTV · DSP Access · Full Open Inventory

StackAdapt and The Trade Desk are the two primary DSPs we use for programmatic CTV buying in Canada. Both provide access to the full open CTV ecosystem — AVOD, FAST and ad-supported SVOD tiers — through a single unified interface. Programmatic CTV enables audience-first buying: targeting by demographics, location, device, household composition and behavioural signals rather than a specific channel or show. Ideal for brands needing reach efficiency across multiple platforms on a single budget.

Full Canadian CTV inventory access · Audience-first targeting · Cross-platform reach efficiency
Why CTV

FOUR THINGS CTV
DELIVERS THAT LINEAR CANNOT

Incremental Reach
CTV reaches audiences who have reduced or eliminated their linear TV viewing. Adding streaming to a plan that already includes linear TV delivers unique audiences your existing buy is missing — particularly under-55s.
Household Precision
Programmatic CTV via StackAdapt and The Trade Desk enables targeting at the household level — not just broad demographics. Reach specific postal codes, life stages, household compositions and behavioural profiles with precision that linear TV simply cannot match.
Guaranteed Completion
CTV ads on ad-supported streaming platforms are typically unskippable — delivering completion rates consistently above 90%. Compare that to online video where skip rates are high and viewability is often questionable.
Measurable Impact
CTV campaigns can be measured against brand lift, incremental reach vs linear TV, website visits and — through platforms like Amazon — actual purchase behaviour. TV effectiveness is no longer a black box.
Industry Development — 2025/2026
What's Changing

PROGRAMMATIC CTV
IS SCALING FAST
ACROSS CANADA

Canadian programmatic CTV has reached an inflection point. StackAdapt — headquartered in Toronto — has rapidly expanded its CTV inventory access across Canadian publishers, while The Trade Desk has deepened integration with Roku, Amazon and Samsung Ads inventory in the Canadian market. The result is that programmatic CTV is no longer a niche tactic reserved for large brands: it is accessible, measurable, and increasingly efficient at all budget levels.

At the same time, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Paramount+ have all launched or expanded ad-supported tiers in Canada — opening premium SVOD inventory that simply did not exist for advertisers two years ago. The Canadian CTV landscape in 2026 offers more inventory, more targeting precision, and more measurement capability than at any point in its history.

What This Means for Advertisers
Brands that have historically relied on linear TV now have a genuine alternative that reaches cord-cutters and light-TV viewers with the same premium video format — but with better targeting, lower minimums and measurable outcomes. The barrier to entry for CTV in Canada has never been lower. Programmatic access via StackAdapt means campaigns can launch at modest budgets and scale as performance data accumulates.
Our View
Canadian CTV is at the same stage UK CTV was in 2021 — growing fast, increasingly sophisticated, and rewarding brands that commit early. The agencies and brands building CTV competency now — understanding the platforms, establishing direct relationships, developing TV-optimised creative — will have a meaningful first-mover advantage over those that wait until the channel is fully commoditised.
Our Approach

HOW A SIMPLICITY
CTV CAMPAIGN WORKS

01
Brief, Audience & Environment
We start by understanding the commercial objective and the audience. Which CTV environment is right depends on who you are trying to reach, what brand context you need, and what the budget allows. We recommend the right mix across AVOD, SVOD and programmatic CTV — and we explain exactly why, in plain English, before anything is booked.
02
Direct Planning & Buying
We go direct to the platforms — Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Paramount+, Samsung Ads and others — and where programmatic is the right route, we execute via StackAdapt and The Trade Desk. Direct buying means better rates, direct relationships with platform teams, and no margin being extracted between your budget and your media. We handle all negotiations and booking.
03
Creative & Measurement
CTV advertising requires video creative. If you have existing broadcast-quality video assets, we adapt and deliver them to platform specification. If you need creative development, we can refer you to our creative partners at Double W Worldwide. We then measure performance against the right KPIs — incremental reach, completion rates, brand lift and where relevant, downstream conversion.
Common Questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS

How much does CTV advertising cost in Canada?
There is no universal minimum — it depends on the platform and buying route. Direct buys on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix or Paramount+ typically start from a few thousand dollars CAD per campaign. Programmatic CTV via StackAdapt or The Trade Desk is more accessible, with campaigns launchable from $2,000–$5,000 CAD. CPMs generally range from $20–$45 CAD depending on platform, targeting and format.
What is the difference between programmatic CTV and direct CTV buying?
Direct buying means negotiating directly with a platform — Amazon, Netflix, Paramount+ — for specific inventory, often with access to first-party audience data and guaranteed placements. Programmatic CTV routes your campaign through a DSP like StackAdapt or The Trade Desk, buying across multiple platforms in a single auction-based buy. Direct is better for brand safety and premium placements; programmatic is better for audience-first targeting and reach efficiency across multiple platforms simultaneously.
Can mid-market Canadian brands run CTV advertising?
Yes. The growth of programmatic CTV has significantly lowered the minimum entry point. Campaigns via StackAdapt or The Trade Desk can launch from $2,000–$5,000 CAD and scale from there. The $1.29 billion Canadian CTV market in 2026 is no longer accessible only to major national brands — it is viable for any brand running video-based media with a clear audience target.
How do you measure the effectiveness of CTV advertising in Canada?
Key metrics are completion rate (typically 90%+ for unskippable CTV), incremental reach versus linear TV, brand lift, and where the buying route allows, downstream conversion. Amazon's retail data integration connects CTV exposure to purchase behaviour. Samsung Ads' ACR data tracks actual viewing on Samsung smart TVs, enabling genuine incremental reach measurement against existing TV campaigns.
Which streaming services in Canada accept advertising?
Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Paramount+ and Disney+ all offer ad-supported tiers in Canada as of 2026. Samsung TV Plus and the Roku Channel offer free ad-supported (FAST/AVOD) inventory. Programmatic access via StackAdapt or The Trade Desk opens up inventory across most of these platforms simultaneously through a single campaign.

Also from Simplicity

Digital Audio → Social Media Ads → Search Marketing →

READY TO BE ON THE BIG SCREEN?

Talk to Us About CTV
Simplicity Media

sim·plic·i·ty
1. the state, quality or an instance of being easy to understand
2. freedom from complexity

+1 (416) 848 7340
+1 (902) 943 3483
+44 (0)20 38 38 2009
Halifax, NS, CA
Toronto, ON, CA
London, UK

© 2026 Simplicity Media Ltd. All rights reserved.

Privacy PolicyTermsCookies