More than eight in 10 Canadians support the idea of the federal government implementing a “Buy Canadian” policy that would require the bulk of its advertising dollars to stay at home, according to a new survey.
Conducted by Ipsos for the Toronto Star between Oct. 10 and Oct. 14, the survey found that 83 per cent of respondents said they either “strongly” or “somewhat” favour a proposal that the federal government channel the bulk of its advertising budget to Canadian-owned media outlets.
The findings come as news outlets across the country continue to struggle amid shrinking ad revenues and the dominance of U.S. tech giants. Newspaper associations nationwide have been urging Ottawa to dedicate at least 25 per cent of its annual advertising budget to Canadian media — a move they say would help sustain local journalism and protect Canada’s cultural independence.
The federal government currently has no policy in place to prioritize Canadian media for its advertising campaigns, instead sending roughly $100 million annually to major U.S.-owned tech giants such as Facebook, Instagram, Google, Amazon and YouTube.
“I think it’s criminal that they are spending our tax dollars to support Google and Meta,” said Colleen Green, the president of Ontario Community Newspapers Association. “They’re not supporting jobs in Canada, whereas they are supporting jobs in the States, which is wrong.”
Green, publisher of The Standard News, a newspaper covering the North Durham and Kawartha Lakes area, said the lack of advertising revenue has shrunk her staff significantly over the years.
“The federal government relies far too heavily on American owned tech platforms, and this study makes clear most Canadians want that to change,” said Jordan Bitove, publisher of the Toronto Star, which is part of the campaign pushing for the federal government to invest more advertising dollars in Canadian media.
“Every federal advertising dollar spent on Meta or Google enriches tech billionaires instead of supporting Canadian newsrooms that keep us informed.”
Between 2008 and June 1, 2025, 571 local news outlets shuttered in 374 Canadian communities. Of these, 422 — nearly three-quarters — were community newspapers publishing fewer than five times per week, while 114 closed following mergers that produced regional publications, according to the local news map data.
The Ipsos survey finds 85 per cent of Canadians agree that it is more important than ever for Canada to foster a vibrant, independent press that champions Canada’s own narrative, especially in light of the ongoing tensions with the Donald Trump administration in the U.S.
Lisa Sygutek, the president of Alberta Weekly Newspaper Association, said a “Buy Canadian” rule for government advertising is not a handout but a service that benefits all Canadians.
“Local media are the backbone of Canadian democracy. We employ Canadians, we tell Canadian stories, and we reinvest every advertising dollar back into the Canadian economy,” said Sygutek. “If the federal government is serious about supporting Canadian culture and democracy, it must put its money where its mouth is.”
The Ipsos survey shows Canadians are broadly united in backing a “Buy Canadian” rule for federal government advertising, with strong support evident across the country and among all age groups.
In Atlantic Canada and Alberta, nine in 10 Canadians support the measure, with at least eight in 10 backing the policy in British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, and the Prairie provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Among different age groups, boomers show the strongest support at 90 per cent, followed by Gen Xers and Millennials at 80 per cent each, with Gen Z Canadians at 79 per cent.
Last year, the Ontario government implemented a rule requiring the province’s four largest government agencies, including the Liquor Control Board of Ontario and Metrolinx, to set aside at least 25 per cent of their annual advertising budgets for Ontario publishers.
The Ipsos survey found 88 per cent of Canadians either strongly support or somewhat support this rule, and in Ontario, support rises to 90 per cent.
Green said she finds it frustrating that the policy so far has favoured big publishers and has left many Ontario community newspapers out of the spending.
She said she hopes a “Buy Canadian” federal mandate will send a message to other businesses to advertise with Canadian media.
Paul Deegan, the president of News Media Canada, said he does not find the survey results surprising, given that more than 85 per cent of Canadians read newspapers weekly and have a high level of trust in advertising alongside news content.
“The federal government should direct its agency of record to invest in Canadian media — not foreign tech giants,” Deegan said in a statement. “Federal ad dollars are taxpayer dollars, which should be invested wisely in Canada — not California.”
