Canada – a year in search

Image credit: Macro photography

With its endless natural beauty, iconic wildlife and metropolitan cities, it isn’t a huge surprise that people often flock to Canada for a dose of adventure and exuberance. Canada is one of the most popular countries to visit anywhere in the world, with tourism peaking just before the COVID-19 pandemic. Canadian holidays were more popular than ever, with statistics showing that in 2019, arrivals to the country reached 22.1 million, breaking the 22 million mark for the first time ever.

With it being such a popular destination, there are lots of people in the UK searching for things related to Canada on Google. We have looked at the search trends for various Canada themed topics over the past 12 months, such as cities, provinces, and sports teams, and were then able to rank their popularity by the number of searches. We have looked at what people in the UK are searching for when it comes to Canada and also compared that to what Canadians are searching for.

Click on a section to find out more information:

• Most searched Canadian provinces and territories

• Most searched Canadian cities

• Most searched Canadian visitor attractions

• Most searched Canadian national parks

• Most searched Canadian foods

• Most searched Canadian celebrities

• Most searched Canadian lakes

• Most popular sports teams in Canada

What are Brits searching for about Canada?

What are Canadians searching for about Canada?

Most searched Canadian provinces and territories

The 5 most searched for provinces and territories in Canada by Brits

1. Nova Scotia
2. British Columbia
3. Ontario
4. Québec
5. Alberta

The 5 most searched for provinces and territories in Canada by Canadians

1. Ontario
2. Alberta
3. Nova Scotia
4. Québec
5. British Columbia

There are 10 provinces and three territories that make up Canada and whilst they all offer plenty of outdoor adventures, each one has its own unique draw. Our research found that the most-searched-for Canadian province and territory for Brits was Nova Scotia with 27,100 average monthly searches in the past year, whilst British Columbia, Ontario and Québec were joint-second with 22,200 searches a month and Alberta rounded off the top five with 9,900.

Comparing which provinces and territories in Canada were the most searched for by Canadians, our research highlights that Ontario was the most popular with a staggering 368,000 average monthly searches in the past year. Alberta was the second most searched for province with an average monthly search volume of 201,000, while Nova Scotia, which was the most popular for searches by Brits, was joint third with Québec with 135,000 searches. British Columbia rounded off the top 5 most searched provinces and territories by Canadians with 90,500 searches.

If Nova Scotia has piqued your interest, then Dave Brett, the travel writer behind Travel Dave, went on a road trip around Nova Scotia and he highly recommends you look into car rental in Canada to get around this province.

He told us a bit more about the places you can see in the province: “Peggy’s Cove and its fully functioning lighthouse are the most photographed tourist destinations in Nova Scotia making it a must-stop destination on your road trip. This cute little fishing town definitely needs to make it onto your Instagram feed.

“You simply have to stop off here for pictures and maybe a lobster roll and coffee to go, I found a few pretty benches to enjoy lunch at around the cove.”

READ ALSO: A Guide to Canada and its Provinces

Most searched Canadian cities

The 5 most searched for cities in Canada by Brits

1. Vancouver
2. Toronto
3. Montréal
4. Calgary
5. Edmonton and Ottawa

The 5 most searched for cities in Canada by Canadians

1. Toronto
2. Calgary
3. Vancouver
4. Montréal
5. Ottawa

Canada is famed for its natural landscapes, but its cities are just as impressive as they boast incredible food scenes, renowned shopping and some of the world’s most iconic attractions.

Vancouver was the most searched for city with Brits in 2021 and was a clear winner with 49,500 average monthly searches in the past year. The bustling west coast city in British Columbia beat the likes of Toronto (40,500 searches), Montréal (27,100), Calgary (22,200), Edmonton and Ottawa (both 18,100).

Although Vancouver was the most popular city in Canada for searches in the UK, Canadians searched for Toronto the most as it gets an enormous 246,000 average monthly searches in Canada. Calgary, a gateway to the Rocky Mountains and a place where urban cowboy meets city glamour, and Vancouver, both get 201,000 searches a month across the pond and were the joint-second most searched for city. Montréal and Ottawa made up the top five most popular cities in Canada amongst Canadians as they both were searched 165,000 times on average a month in 2021.

Katie, from the travel blog, The World on my Necklace, has visited Vancouver a number of times and explains what it is she loves about the city: “One of the reasons I love Vancouver is because of the massive amount of things to do there, and of course the massive amount of incredible things to eat – after all, Vancouver has some of the best food in Canada. You know that quote ‘If you are tired of London then you are tired of life’? Well, I think it is very apt for Vancouver too.”

READ ALSO: 48 hours in Montréal

Most searched Canadian visitor attractions

The 5 most searched for visitor attractions in Canada by Brits

1. Niagara Falls
2. CN Tower
3. Lake Louise
4. Banff National Park
5. Moraine Lake

The 5 most searched for visitor attractions in Canada by Canadians

1. Lake Louise
2. Niagara Falls
3. Vaughan Mills
4. West Edmonton Mall
5. Canada’s Wonderland

There is no shortage of natural wonders and urban highlights in Canada and with so many attractions that are famous around the world, it can be difficult to decide on the ones you should visit during your holiday.

Our study reveals that the most popular attraction in Canada in 2021, according to Brits, was Niagara Falls as it had an average monthly search volume of 60,500. The CN Tower and Lake Louise (8,100) were the joint-second most searched for attractions in Canada by Brits with Banff National Park (6,600) and Moraine Lake (4,400) rounding off the top five.

When comparing what attractions Canadians were searching for in Canada, Lake Louise (450,000 avg. monthly searches) and Niagara Falls (165,000) were the two most searched for attractions. Whilst those natural wonders featured in the top five most-searched attractions in Canada by both Brits and Canadians, the remainder of the list were completely different. Vaughan Mills was the third-most searched for attraction by Canadians with the regional mall outlet in Vaughan, Ontario receiving 135,000 average searches a month. West Edmonton Mall is the second most visited mall in Canada, after the Toronto Eaton Centre in Toronto, but our study found it was the fourth most searched for attraction in Canada along with Canada’s Wonderland, a 134-hectare theme park located in Vaughan, which both have an average monthly search volume of 110,000.

Sandra Potter, a writer for A Luxury Travel Blog, has visited Niagara Falls before and she talks about some of the amazing activities you can do there.

“The Journey Behind the Falls with its sights and sounds of thundering water assailing all your senses is still one of my favourites; the old Maid of the Mist has been taken over by Hornblower Cruises who do an equally good job of getting you close to the Falls, getting soaking wet in the process and kindly providing you with bright red waterproof capes to keep off the worst of the spray.”

READ ALSO: 48 hours in Niagara Falls

Most searched Canadian national parks

The 5 most searched for national parks in Canada by Brits

1. Banff National Park
2. Glacier National Park
3. Jasper National Park
4. Yoho National Park
5. Gros Morne National Park

The 5 most searched for national parks in Canada by Canadians

1. Banff National Park
2. Jasper National Park
3. Bruce Peninsula National Park
4. Glacier National Park
5. Yoho National Park

Canada is home to more than 40 national parks, and they showcase the country’s stunning natural beauty at its best. Temperate rainforests, Arctic tundra and windswept beaches are just some of the landscapes you can see in these national parks.

The most searched for national park in Canada with Brits was unsurprisingly Banff National Park with an average monthly search volume of 6,600. Glacier National Park (4,400) and Jasper National Park (1,900) were the second and third most popular national parks to search for with Yoho National Park (590) and Gros Morne National Park (390) making up the rest of the top five.

Like the UK, people in Canada were searching for Banff National Park the most with a large average monthly search volume of 49,500. Jasper National Park also proved a popular destination for Canadians with 33,100 searches a month, but Bruce Peninsula National Park, which didn’t feature in the most searched for national parks by Brits, was the third most popular amongst Canadians (22,200). Glacier National Park and Yoho National Park each received 18,100 average searches a month in Canada.

READ ALSO: Canada’s Greatest National Parks

Most searched Canadian foods

The 5 most searched for Canadian foods by Brits

1. Poutine
2. California roll
3. Lobster roll
4. Bannock
5. Pemmican

The 5 most searched for Canadian foods by Canadians

1. Poutine
2. Bannock
3. California roll
4. Dynamite roll
5. Lobster roll

Canada is home to various cultures, and it is these Asian, European and Caribbean influences that have resulted in the country boasting an unrivalled food scene. Each province and territory has its own speciality with some famed for fresh seafood and others for their bagels and rolls.

Poutine is arguably the most famous dish to come out of the country and it isn’t a surprise that it was the most searched for Canadian food in the UK (27,100) and in Canada (246,000). A California roll, a makizushi sushi roll that is usually rolled inside-out which was thought to originate in Canada (despite its name), was the second-highest searched Canadian food by Brits (9,900) followed by Lobster roll (6,600), a sandwich filled with lobster meat and soaked in butter. Bannock, a flat quick bread, and Pemmican, an energy bar made of dried and powdered meat, are both searched 2,900 times a month on average in the UK.

After poutine, bannock is the second-most searched for Canadian food by Canadians with an average monthly search volume of 18,100, whilst California roll, Lobster roll and Dynamite roll, a type of sushi containing prawn tempura and masago, all have 14,800 average monthly searches.

Jo, a food blogger who runs the Jo Cooks site, speaks about poutine and its rich history in Canada: “Poutine really should be Canada’s dish, because whenever someone asks me what are considered Canadian dishes, it’s pretty much the only dish that comes to mind. I’m going to go as far as saying that poutine is one of Canada’s greatest inventions.

“Poutine originated in Warrick, Québec in the 1950s. It’s a very simple recipe of french fries, cheese curds, and gravy. The heat from the gravy melts the cheese to create a ridiculously delicious melty dish. When I visited Québec a couple of years ago, every restaurant we visited had their own awesome version!”

READ ALSO: The Great Canadian Cuisine Hunt

Most searched Canadian celebrities

The 5 most searched for Canadian celebrities by Brits

1. Ryan Reynolds
2. The Weeknd
3. Justin Bieber
4. Keanu Reeves
5. Christopher Plummer/Jim Carrey

The 5 most searched for Canadian celebrities by Canadians

1. Justin Bieber
2. The Weeknd
3. Ryan Reynolds
4. Norm MacDonald
5. Keanu Reeves

From Hollywood superstars to best-selling artists, Canada is home to lots of celebrities that are famous all around the world, but which one is the most popular amongst Brits and Canadians?

Actor Ryan Reynolds, known for starring in films such as Deadpool and Safehouse, and The Weeknd, the world-famous singer-songwriter, both reigned supreme as the most popular Canadian celebrities with Brits as they received 301,000 average searches a month in 2021, edging out singer Justin Bieber who gets 246,000 searches a month. The actor Keanu Reeves, who is famed for roles in movies such as The Matrix, John Wick and Speed, was the third most searched for Canadian celebrity in the UK with 201,000 searches a month. Actors Jim Carrey and Christopher Plummer, who sadly passed away in February 2021, both had 135,000 searches a month last year.

Justin Bieber and The Weeknd took the crown as the most searched for Canadian celebrities in Canada with an average monthly search volume of 246,000 in 2021 with Ryan Reynolds just behind with 201,000 searches a month. Although the top three were the same in the UK and Canada, there was a different celebrity in the top five most searched for list. Norm MacDonald, the stand-up comedian, writer, and actor who passed away in September, was the fourth most searched for celebrity by Canadians with 165,000 monthly searches, followed by Keanu Reeves (135,000) as the fifth most searched for Canadian celebrity.

Celine Dion, the best-selling Canadian recording artist of all-time, and popular singer Drake both missed out on the top five as they are searched 110,000 times on average in Canada.

READ ALSO: Celebrating Canada’s most influential women of history

Most searched Canadian lakes

The 5 most searched for lakes in Canada by Brits

1. Lake Louise
2. Lake Superior
3. Horseshoe Lake
4. Moraine Lake
5. Lake Erie

The 5 most searched for lakes in Canada by Canadians

1. Lake Louise
2. Moraine Lake
3. Emerald Lake
4. Abraham Lake
5. Lake Minnewanka

Canada has more lakes than all the other countries in the world combined, and their beauty makes them some of the most popular places to visit in the country. With so many lakes in Canada, it can be hard to decide which ones you should visit, so we have given you a helping hand by revealing the most popular. Lake Louise was the most searched for lake in Canada by Brits with 8,100 monthly searches in 2021, followed by Lake Superior (6,600), Horseshoe Lake and Moraine Lake (both 4,400), with Lake Erie (3,600) the fifth most searched for lake.

Lake Louise also proved the most popular lake with Canadians as it had an average monthly search volume of 450,000 in Canada. Moraine Lake was the second most popular as it was searched an average of 49,500 times a month in 2021 and Emerald Lake was the third most searched for lake with 33,100 searches a month. Abraham Lake and Lake Minnewanka were both searched on average 22,200 times a month.

READ ALSO: 48 hours in Lake Louise

Most popular sports teams in Canada

The 5 most searched for sports teams in Canada by Brits

1. Montréal Canadiens
2. Toronto Maple Leafs
3. Toronto Raptors
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Edmonton Oilers

The 5 most searched for sports teams in Canada by Canadians

1. Toronto Maple Leafs
2. Toronto Blue Jays
3. Edmonton Oilers
4. Montréal Canadiens
5. Toronto Raptors

Canada is a huge sporting nation and is home to lots of well-supported teams competing in sports such as ice hockey, basketball, baseball, lacrosse, football and lots more. Going to watch a Canadian sports team is a great experience as you can enjoy the intense action first-hand as well as the impressive pre-game and half-time entertainment.

Our research has found that the most popular sports team in Canada with Brits were the ice hockey team Montréal Canadiens, who compete in the NHL’s Eastern Conference of the Atlantic Division, as they were searched 33,100 times on average a month. The Toronto Maple Leafs ice hockey team and basketball team Toronto Raptors were the joint-second most popular teams with 14,800 average searches a month, followed by the Toronto Blue Jays (9,900), the only Canadian team that competes in Major League Baseball, and the Edmonton Oilers ice hockey team (4,400).

It was a different story across the pond as the most searched for sports team in Canada by Canadians was The Toronto Maple Leafs with an average of just over 1.2 million searches a month in 2021. The Toronto Blue Jays were second on the list of most searched for sports team with 823,000 searches a month, while the Edmonton Oilers, Montréal Canadiens and Toronto Raptors were equal third on the list with 550,000 searches.

READ ALSO: A guide to Canada’s sports teams

Methodology

For the ‘Canada – a year in search’ study, we chose a number of Canadian topics to look into and below we have shared how we created/sourced the respective lists.

•Provinces and territories – We included all 13 provinces and territories

•Cities – We included the 20 largest cities in Canada in terms of population as per this list.

•Attractions – We used a list of the 200 highest rated attractions in Canada on Trip Advisor.

•National parks – We looked at all 48 national parks in Canada as listed here.

•Food – We looked at the search volumes for all the Canadian foods on this list.•Celebrities – We used a list of Canadian celebrities from IMDB.

•Lakes – To compile the list of lakes in Canada we used the most popular lakes according to Google.

•Sports teams – Using this page on Wikipedia we compiled a list of sports teams in Canada.

After compiling a list for each category, we used the SEMrush keyword research tool to get the data for the average number of monthly searches for the analysed keyword/search term over the last 12 months (January 2021 to January 2022). We compared the volume of searches for each keyword in the United Kingdom with the number of searches that the exact same keyword gets in Canada. For the cities, we added the word ‘Canada’ to some search terms for more accurate results as there are some cities that share a name with other locations around the UK.  For specific attractions that shared a name with similar locations around the world, we also added the word ‘Canada’ to the search term.

Canada – a year in search: Conclusion

After looking at all the data, it highlighted that whilst there are similarities in the search trends between people in the UK and Canadians, there are also some big differences. Out of the eight different categories we looked at for the study, there were three categories where the number one search in both Canada and the UK was the same and five that were different.

The most popular national park in both Canada and the UK over the past year was the same, with Banff coming out on top, while poutine was the most popular food searched in both countries and, unsurprisingly, Lake Louise the most searched lake.

The categories where there was a difference were the most searched for province and territory, city, attractions, Canadian celebrities and sports team. In the UK, it was Nova Scotia which was the most searched province/territory, whilst across the pond in Canada, it was Ontario that occupied the top spot. The most popular city for searches in the UK in 2021 was Vancouver, but in Canada the most popular city was Toronto, beating off rival cities such as Calgary and Montréal. Lake Louise was the most searched attraction by Canadians, whilst it was the Niagara Falls in the UK and in the battle of the most popular Canadian celebrities it was Ryan Reynolds and The Weeknd that held the number one spot in the UK and Justin Bieber and The Weeknd who reigned supreme in Canada. Whilst the top spot for the most popular sports teams in Canada were both ice hockey teams, they were different, with the Montréal Canadiens the most searched team in the UK, but the Toronto Maple Leafs taking the crown in Canada.

If you have been inspired to visit some of the featured places, then speak to us at Canadian Affair and we can organise your flights to Canada and create a holiday that incorporates everything you want to do.

For more tips, guides, and advice, make sure to visit our blog.