With a country that is more diverse than ever before, understanding how ethnicity impacts technology use and media consumption is a key component of any media plan. According to the 2021 Census, almost one-quarter (23%) of Canada's total population were foreign-born and this number has been steadily increasing since the 1950s. This continued growth in ethnocultural diversity in Canada combined with increasing consumer fragmentation poses an ongoing challenge for brands as they struggle to personalize communication and stand out from competitors.
MTM Newcomers survey overview
MTM’s Newcomer survey, with a sample of over 4,000, includes Canadian citizens, permanent residents, international students, temporary foreign workers, refugee claimants, and other non-permanent residents, and provides much-needed data on the media behaviours and leisure and settlement activities of people who have arrived in Canada in the past 5 years.
MTM Newcomers 2025 survey highlights
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FAST channel adoption: Nearly half (48%) of newcomers watch free ad-supported TV, making them 45% more likely to use FAST services than Canadian-born viewers (33%).
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Social connection online: Newcomers spend nearly twice as much time on social media each week compared to Canadian-born users, reflecting their reliance on digital platforms to stay connected locally and abroad.
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Cellphone dominance: Almost all newcomers own a cellphone; more than half acquire their device after arriving in Canada. For cellphone plans, in-person sign-ups remain most common, though online channels and retail outlets also play a strong role.
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Career transition: Nearly half of newcomers have searched for a job in the past six months (vs. 23% of Canadian-born), with almost two in five switching professions after arrival.
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Language diversity in media: While English and French are the primary languages of consumption, more than half of newcomers consume some content in other languages. Nearly half watch TV and video in a non-official language, and one-third read news outside English or French.
About MTM
The Media Technology Monitor (MTM©) is Canada’s premier research product in the area of technology ownership and use. Based on 12,000 telephone interviews annually (including a cellphone-only sample), the MTM has spoken with over 200,000 Canadians (equally split between Anglophones and Francophones) over the past decade, making it the most accurate and comprehensive media technology tracking survey of its kind.
