Telefilm Canada and the Movie Theatre Association of Canada (MTAC) released the results of a nationwide study exploring moviegoing habits in 2024. Conducted by ERm Research, the survey aimed to better understand Canadian audiences and the business implications for the country’s audiovisual industry.
The study, carried out online between April 8 and 20, 2025 with 3,458 respondents, shows that 62% of Canadians aged 13 and older attended a film screening last year. However, ticket consumption has dropped sharply: just 1.6 tickets per capita in 2024 compared to three in 2019 and 3.6 in 2014.
Younger audiences remain a key driver of the industry, with 85% of Canadians under 35 going to the movies in 2024. Avid moviegoers, defined as those who saw at least 10 films in theatres, make up only 12% of the population but accounted for nearly half of all admissions, underscoring the importance of this segment for exhibitors.
Looking ahead, the study highlights both challenges and opportunities for the theatrical business. While streaming has eroded the perception that theatres offer higher-quality films, with confidence falling from 50% in 2019 to just 20% in 2024, many Canadians—especially those aged 18 to 34—plan to increase their visits in 2025. Action and horror films dominate preferences, and additional spending around moviegoing has already generated over $2 billion for the broader audiovisual economy.