Nearly Half of Canadian Small Businesses Are Leaning Into Canadian Identity This Holiday Season, Despite Rising Costs

The findings come from a survey of 500 Canadian small business owners conducted in English and French.

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• Canadian identity drives holiday marketing efforts: 48 per cent of small businesses say Canadian identity is playing a bigger role in holiday marketing, particularly among those most dependent on seasonal sales.
• Growth prioritized over caution: While over half of businesses cite rising expenses as their biggest hurdle, 32 per cent say attracting new customers is their top holiday priority.
• Break through the digital noise: A wide-open opportunity for print marketing to shine while competitors battle overcrowded online channels.

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- As Canadian small businesses head into the holiday season, many are leaning into what makes them distinctly Canadian. New research from VistaPrint, the print marketing partner to millions of small businesses, released for Small Business Month this October, finds nearly half (48 per cent) are highlighting their Canadian identity in holiday marketing this year, rising to 67 per cent among businesses that generate more than a fifth of their annual revenue through seasonal sales.

VistaPrint’s data, which touches on seasonal shopping outlook, Canadian identity and marketing gaps, builds on an ongoing trend in Canadians’ shopping habits: 73 per cent preferred shopping locally or from Canadian-owned businesses last holiday season, while 65 per cent say they prefer buying from Canadian retailers.

This comes as small businesses continue to face significant economic pressure, with more than half (51 per cent) naming financial pressures such as rising costs, lower consumer spending and tariffs as their biggest obstacles. Rather than pull back, many are focused on reaching new customers, and the data points to a clear marketing gap that could help them get there.

“The 2026 holiday season is hectic for Canadian small business owners. We’re hearing from them that standing out this holiday season is important and that means leaning into what makes them different: being Canadian,” said Dave DeSandre, Senior Vice President of North America at VistaPrint.

Canadian pride grows with holiday reliance
Businesses most dependent on holiday sales are also the most likely to lean into their Canadian identity. Two-thirds (67 per cent) of businesses that typically generate 21 per cent or more of annual revenue during the holidays plan to highlight their Canadian identity, compared to a third (33 per cent) of those that don't rely on holiday sales at all. That momentum builds, as nearly a third (31 per cent) of those already using Canadian-identity marketing plan to increase it this year, while just two per cent plan to pull back.

Cautious about consumer spending, focused on growth
Small business owners aren’t expecting shoppers to spend freely this season with 13 per cent optimistic about holiday customer spending and lower consumer spending the single biggest obstacle they name (22 per cent). Still, attracting new customers is their top priority (32 per cent), and 42 per cent are prioritizing some form of customer growth or marketing overall.

Breaking through the digital noise
As small businesses prioritize attracting new customers, the physical marketing landscape offers a distinct, uncluttered advantage. While more than half of small businesses (55 per cent) are crowding online channels with digital tactics, just over one in five (22 per cent) plan to use print and physical marketing, such as holiday cards, signage, and flyers. The businesses already reaching beyond the screen are leaning into this opportunity. Those highlighting their Canadian identity are more likely to use print marketing (28 per cent vs. 16 per cent). With holiday marketing budgets remaining stable year-over year, print provides small businesses an accessible, high-impact way to stand out.

“Even with shoppers being more careful with their spending, small businesses are proving to be resilient and ambitious, finding new ways to reach consumers,” said DeSandre. “When so many businesses are competing for attention online, physical touchpoints like packaging, labels and signage help them get noticed in their communities. Print is a powerful marketing option, and we want to make sure small businesses have the tools to compete, no matter their budget.”

For Canadian small businesses, the data points to a season of adapting rather than retreating: leaning into what sets them apart, diversifying how they reach customers and heading into the holidays with concrete plans focused on growth.

Methodology: These findings are from a survey conducted by VistaPrint from August 26 to August 31, 2026, among a representative sample of 500 small business owners in Canada who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English and French. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of ±4.4 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

About VistaPrint
VistaPrint is the print and design partner to millions of small businesses around the world. We help small business owners bring their ideas to life through custom print products, easy-to-use digital tools and expert design support. VistaPrint is a Cimpress company (Nasdaq: CMPR).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261006498214/en/

Media Contact
Ashley McFarlane
Talk Shop
ashley@talkshopmedia.com

Source: VistaPrint

Key Terms

probability sample technical

A probability sample is a group of respondents or items chosen so that every member of the defined population has a known, non-zero chance of being selected. Selection is done by random methods (for example simple random, stratified, cluster or systematic sampling), which allows analysts to calculate how much sampling error to expect and to use the selection probabilities to weight results. A probability sample still depends on having an appropriate sampling frame and can be affected by nonresponse or measurement errors even though its random design supports valid statistical inference to the population.

margin of error technical

The margin of error is a measure of how much the results of a survey or estimate might differ from the true value, due to random chance. It indicates the level of uncertainty in the data, helping investors understand how much confidence to place in the results. Think of it like the wiggle room around a guess—smaller margins mean more precise estimates.