Network Canada
Qualitative market research in Canada
Canada has 40.2 million people, 82.1 per cent of them in cities, and 38.2 million internet users, 95.1 per cent of the population (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Qualitative research there works when Quebec is run in French, when the study is not a copy of the US one, and when sessions are scheduled across six time zones. MindMarket runs in-depth interviews, focus groups and mystery shopping in Canada with local moderators and one project manager for your whole study, and included Canada in a 60-visit mystery shopping programme for Kate Spade.
AT A GLANCE
Canada at a glance for researchers
- Population. 40.2 million people, median age 40.6, 82.1 per cent in urban areas (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Most of them live in a few large city regions spread from coast to coast.
- Languages. English and French are the two official languages, and French is the language of Quebec. Sessions in Montreal or Quebec City run in French, with moderators who live there.
- Internet and mobile. 38.2 million internet users and 42.4 million mobile connections (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Online interviews are the practical way to hear several provinces in one study.
- Where fieldwork happens. Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver first, with Calgary when your brief needs the Prairies. Mystery shopping goes where your stores are.
- Data protection. The federal PIPEDA and, in Quebec, the Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector: consent, a stated purpose, and participants told how recordings are stored.
- Timing. July and August are holiday months, Thanksgiving falls on the second Monday of October, and the second half of December is quiet. In winter, weather can keep participants from in-person sessions.
IN THE FIELD
How does an interview run in Canada?
Seen from the US, Canada can look like one more region. It has two official languages, six time zones and its own privacy laws.
- Quebec in French. A study that includes Montreal or Quebec City is run in French there, by a moderator from Quebec. The French of France sounds foreign to participants, and English misses most of what they would say.
- Not a copy of the US study. Retailers, banks, prices and health care differ from the US. Screeners and stimulus written for American participants are adapted before recruitment starts.
- Six time zones. An evening session in Toronto is mid-afternoon in Vancouver. Online studies are scheduled province by province, so that everyone joins at a reasonable hour.
- The same checklist across the border. For Kate Spade, mystery shoppers visited stores in the United States and Canada with one briefing and one checklist, five visits per store, so that every location could be compared.
RECRUITMENT
How do you recruit participants in Canada?
- We recruit through local partners in each city, in English and in French, who find the people your brief describes.
- For mystery shopping we recruit shoppers who match the audience the brand wants to grow with, and verify each profile before the visit is booked.
- MindMarket pays every participant's incentive itself. You never handle it.
METHODS
Which methods work in Canada?
Most studies in Canada run as in-depth interviews and focus groups, with mystery shopping, shop-alongs or UX research when the question needs them.
| Method | Works well when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Online in-depth interviews | Audiences spread across provinces, professionals and B2B buyers | Time zones; schedule by province, not by head office |
| Focus groups | Concepts and advertising in Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver | Separate English and French groups; do not mix them |
| Mystery shopping | Retail, banks, car showrooms and restaurants, flagships and outlets alike | One checklist and one briefing for every store |
| Shop-alongs | Grocery, pharmacy and fashion decisions in the store | Store permission, and winter travel for participants |
| UX research | Apps and sites that must work in both languages | Test the French version with Quebec users, not a translation |
QUESTIONS
Questions buyers ask about research in Canada
How much does market research cost in Canada?
A full-service qualitative study with MindMarket starts at $40,000 for the first market, and Canada added to a multi-country study starts from $8,000. Running both English and French sessions means two moderators and two sets of materials, which adds to the budget. Every quote is itemised and follows within 48 hours of a first call. Estimate your study.
Can I add Canada to my US study without changes?
Not without adapting it. Retailers, banks, prices and health care differ, and Quebec needs French sessions. One project manager runs both countries from one brief, with a screener and a discussion guide adjusted for Canada, so the two markets can still be compared.
Do I need French sessions in Quebec?
Yes. French is the language of Quebec, and participants in Montreal or Quebec City speak most freely in it. Sessions are run by moderators from Quebec, because the French of France sounds foreign there, and your team follows with translation.
Can you run mystery shopping in Canada?
Yes. For Kate Spade we ran 60 mystery shops across 12 stores in the United States and Canada in under three weeks, with the Canadian visits at Toronto Premium Outlets. One briefing and one checklist made every store comparable. Read the Kate Spade case study.
When should I avoid fieldwork in Canada?
In July and August, when many families are away, around Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October, and in the second half of December. For in-person sessions in winter, allow for weather and offer an online alternative.
Can you help us decide, not only run the interviews?
Yes. Beyond the fieldwork, our Customer-Led Strategy work turns what people in Canada told us into a recommendation: what to do, what not to do, and why. We form the hypotheses, test them with your customers and recommend from their words. If you already work with strategy consultants, we work alongside them.
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