Our latest survey results reveal that while a majority of adults feel comfortable with their current amount of screen time, a substantial minority are working to cut back. Our findings show that 37% of Canadians say they are actively trying to reduce their screen time. Notably, younger adults are much more likely to be cutting back, with Milliennials being the group who are much more likely to be reducing their screen time at 54%, followed closely by Gen Z at 47%, while Boomers are much less likely to be doing so at just a quarter (26%).
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Key Takeaways
- Thirty-seven percent of Canadians say they are actively trying to reduce their screen time, with Millennials and Gen Z far more likely than older adults to do so.
- Health, mental well-being, and making room for offline activities are the top motivations for reducing screen use.
- While many are cutting back, most Canadians remain satisfied with their screen time and see online activity as beneficial for entertainment, learning, work, and social connection.
Among the minority who are trying to scale back, the top motivations are tied to personal health and quality of life. Six-in-ten want to make some more room for offline activities such as hobbies and exercise, while over four-in-ten each cite negative impacts on their physical health or mental wellbeing. Two-in-ten say excessive screen use is affecting their relationships.
To try to reduce their time online, Canadians are using a range of strategies, from setting time limits, to leaving their phone in another room or scheduling breaks. One-in-ten use digital tools that track or restrict screen time, a number that rises to two-in-ten among Millennials.
“Clearly, many people are becoming more intentional about how they use their devices, with health and wellness in mind, as well as a desire to better connect with their hobbies and other people,” says Margaret Chapman, COO at Narrative Research.“But importantly, a majority of the population are absolutely fine with how much time they’re spending online, and don’t see any negative impacts from doing so.”
Results show that among the two thirds of the population who are happy with their screen time, there is the widespread belief that screen use doesn’t negatively affect their lives. There are also many who cite online entertainment as the primary reason they’re happy to be connected, along with four-in-ten who use screens for education and learning. A quarter have friendships and social life online, or need to be online for work.
Across results, some regional differences are noteworthy, namely that respondents in BC are least likely to say they are reducing their screen time, while those in Ontario and Quebec are more likely to be making efforts to de-screen.
Results are from an online survey conducted in partnership between Narrative Research and the Logit Group. The survey was conducted between January 13 – 15, 2026 with 1,230 Canadians, 18 years of age or older from the Logit Group’s online Canadian Omnibus. Data were weighted based on the 2021 Census, by gender, age, and region to reflect actual population distribution.
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FAQs
Health concerns, mental well-being, and a desire to spend more time on offline activities like hobbies, exercise, and relationships are the most common reasons.
Millennials and Gen Z are the most likely to be cutting back, while Boomers are significantly less likely to reduce their screen use.
Common strategies include setting time limits, leaving devices in another room, scheduling breaks, and using screen-tracking or restriction tools.
For more information, please contact:
Margaret Chapman, COO & Partner, Narrative Research – 902.493.3834, mchapman@narrativeresearch.ca or Sam Pisani, Managing Partner, Logit Group – 416.629.4116, sam.pisani@logitgroup.com.
Narrative Research is a non-partisan, 100% Canadian-owned research company, certified as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE). Narrative Research provides clients with state-of-the-art research and strategic consulting services.
The Logit Group is a leading North American data collection and market research execution company headquartered in Toronto, conducting large-scale projects for a variety of well-known research agencies and brands. Logit employs industry-best technologies.
