For decades, advertisers seeking scale in Canada have started with Ontario. At the same time, Ontario media plans have typically started with Toronto.

At a headline level, that approach still makes sense. But look beyond the provincial averages and a much more complicated picture emerges.

Panoply Media’s new Ontario Media Consumption Report 2026 examines how audiences are changing across Toronto, Ottawa, London, Hamilton, Kitchener and St. Catharines–Niagara. Its central finding is simple but important: Ontario is not one media market.

Digital continues to capture more attention

Across Canada, digital platforms are expected to account for 69% of daily media time in 2026, compared with 60% in 2020. Connected television is forecast to surpass linear television in time spent for the first time in 2027, while the average adult now spends 79 minutes per day on social media.

These shifts are reshaping how brands build reach. Streaming video, connected TV, social platforms and mobile media can no longer be treated as secondary additions to a traditional campaign. They are increasingly fundamental parts of the media mix.

However, digital adoption is not happening at the same pace everywhere.

Toronto moves quickly, but traditional media still matters

Toronto remains a useful indicator of national consumer behaviour and is among the province’s most digitally advanced markets. Streaming has become mainstream, and audiences increasingly divide their viewing between traditional television and connected platforms.

Yet digital growth has not made established channels irrelevant. Television and radio continue to deliver meaningful reach, making integrated strategies more effective than plans that simply replace traditional media with digital alternatives.

Outside Toronto, the picture becomes more fragmented

Remove Toronto from the provincial data and a different Ontario appears. Many smaller markets are experiencing a steeper decline in traditional media without seeing digital channels grow at the same rate.

Even within this broader trend, every city behaves differently. London remains comparatively traditional. Other markets are seeing viewing, listening and digital adoption change more rapidly. Commuting patterns, workplace habits and local demographics all influence when, where and how audiences can be reached.

For advertisers, the implication is clear: a Toronto media plan cannot simply be scaled down and applied across the province.

Panoply’s full report explores the trends shaping each major Ontario market and provides practical planning recommendations to help brands invest more precisely.

Download the Ontario Media Consumption Report 2026 to discover where audiences are moving—and how your media strategy should move with them.