Out-of-home in Canada and North America in 2025: what the

Updated November 2026

Canadian out-of-home revenue grew 5.8% in 2025 according to the COMMB annual report as relayed by invidis, while North America as a whole stood at $10.3 billion in the WOO global report. The figures are useful context for event organisers, teams and businesses planning a season outdoors.

North America in the global picture

The World Out of Home Organization estimates worldwide out-of-home spending at $54.2 billion in 2025, a rise of 15%, and 5.1% of advertising expenditure. North America accounts for $10.3 billion, the United States for $9.5 billion of it, and Europe for $10.2 billion.

The report adds that digital formats form 36.9% of out-of-home revenue in North America, against 41.3% in Europe. The continent is therefore slightly more attached to classic panels than its European counterparts, a point that matters when an event relies on printed material or on a physical presence.

A short note for readers who work in both languages: the WOO report is published in English, and its regional labels, such as North America, group Canada with the United States and Mexico without giving a separate Canadian line.

Teal moose costumed mascot beside blank roadside billboards on a mountain highway in Canada (illustration)
Illustration created with AI

Canada: growth reported by COMMB

For Canada itself, the invidis report of 18 March 2026 says that industry revenues rose 5.8% year on year in 2025, quoting the latest annual report of the Canadian Out-of-Home Marketing and Measurement Bureau. The article does not give the dollar total or a digital share, so neither should be inferred.

The same article links the growth to people being out in public places: roadsides, transit networks, entertainment districts, shopping areas and transport hubs. It reports that spending on entertainment, restaurants, concerts and sporting events rose by more than 10% in 2025 and makes up roughly 17% of consumer expenditure in Canada.

It also cites research stating that adding out-of-home to wider campaigns can raise overall reach by about 23%. That is a claim from the study it cites, and the article does not describe how it was measured.

The United States next door

Because many Canadian events and teams draw audiences from across the border, the American figures are worth a glance. According to OAAA data reported by OOH Today in March 2026, United States out-of-home revenue reached a record $9.46 billion in 2025, up 3.6%, and the industry has grown for 19 consecutive quarters.

Digital formats made up 36.3% of that revenue and grew 10.5%. Transit was the fastest-growing format, up 9.2% for the second straight year, and legal services were the largest advertiser category, up 21%.

The two North American sources are consistent in direction without being comparable in size: one reports a percentage change for an industry, the other a dollar total with its own growth rate.

Digital, programmatic and the 2026 calendar

Worldwide, the WOO counts digital out-of-home at $25.5 billion in 2025, or about 47% of all revenue, with $28 billion expected in 2026. Within it, programmatic buying stands at $2.1 billion, 8.4% of digital revenue, though the report warns it is not captured consistently in every market.

The estimate from PQ Media Research via invidis reaches $27.47 billion for global digital spending in 2025, up 12%, and notes that the FIFA World Cup, hosted partly in Canada in 2026, is among the events expected to lift demand. Its method differs from the WOO's, so the two totals are never added together here.

For an organiser in Canada, the point is a practical one. A year with large international sports events increases competition for attention in host cities, and local events benefit from planning their street presence early.

Limits of the studies

These reports count advertising revenue and spending. They do not tell us how many people noticed a message, whether a team sold more tickets or whether a company's seasonal event drew more visitors.

The Canadian source here is a trade article summarising a report, and not the report itself. Where a figure is missing from the article, it is left out rather than estimated. The 23% reach figure comes from research cited by COMMB, whose design we have not examined.

Finally, none of the studies separates English-language and French-language markets in Canada, so they cannot support conclusions about one linguistic region.

A seasonal planning list

Because Canadian events cluster in short seasons, the order in which decisions are made matters. A sensible sequence is to fix the dates, then the climate each date brings, then the wearers, and only then the details of the character.

  • Winter events: insulated inner layers, a warm place to change, and gloves that still allow a wave.
  • Summer events: ventilation, shade, water for the wearer and short appearances.
  • Bilingual events: name and slogan in English and French, and a guide who can answer questions in both.
  • Travel between venues: a case or bag that protects the head and keeps the costume dry.

None of this depends on advertising statistics, but all of it determines whether the character is actually seen.

For events, teams, companies and seasons

A Canadian calendar is divided by weather: winter carnivals, spring festivals, summer tournaments and autumn fairs. Each one needs a visible character that works in cold and in heat, and in English as well as in French. A mascot made to measure can carry the name of a team or a business in both languages on a banner or a sign held by an assistant.

For teams, the costume stands beside the bench or in the stands; for companies, at a product launch or a trade show booth; for municipal and community events, along a parade route. Wearers need ventilation in July and insulation in January, so the seasonal use is specified at the design stage.

A realistic plan lists the dates when the character is needed, the number of wearers, the storage between uses and the cleaning method. That information shapes the costume more than any statistic in this article.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

How much did Canadian out-of-home grow in 2025?

COMMB reports 5.8% year on year, according to the invidis article of 18 March 2026.

How large is North American out-of-home?

The WOO counts $10.3 billion in 2025, including $9.5 billion for the United States.

What did the United States report for 2025?

OAAA data show $9.46 billion, up 3.6%, with digital at 36.3% of revenue.

Does the reach figure of 23% apply to every campaign?

No. It comes from research cited by COMMB and was not tested here.

Are there separate figures for French-speaking Canada?

Not in the sources used here.

Request a free quote

Read also

Related articles