Tag Archives: Canada

VPNs Have Exploded in Popularity in Canada, Here’s Why

A recent VPN usage survey commissioned by NordVPN found that over one-quarter of Canadians use VPNs.

As a country, Canada landed in the top five in terms of VPN awareness too. Nearly seven Canadians in ten have heard of VPNs. Other countries with above-average awareness include the U.S., United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Poland, Singapore, Taiwan, Spain, and Brazil.

Demographics of VPN Users

If you’re wondering what the typical VPN user looks like, I’ve got you covered. They’re more likely to be male and the largest age group is between 25 and 44 years old. This group leads the way in most other countries as well.

There are two big factors intersecting here: being old enough to have a budget for the extras in life and young enough to recognize the need for better online privacy. Millennials, Gen Xers, and Xennials are right in the sweet spot.

So, getting to the main topic, why are Canadians adopting VPNs faster than countries such as France, Italy, Japan, and South Korea?

What Canadians Say About Their VPN Usage

HelloSafe surveyed Canadians across the country about their VPN usage and there are some notable differences in their results compared to NordVPN’s findings.

First things first, here are the reasons Canadians said they use a VPN:

  • To secure a Wi-Fi connection – 68%
  • To enjoy content from other countries – 36.8%
  • To hide an IP address – 31.5%
  • To avoid censorship – 26.3%

Interestingly, they found that only one in ten Canadians use a VPN at least once a week. That’s a big difference from what the study for NordVPN found. However, how HelloSafe phrased the question pushed the figure down. How many people are aware enough of their VPN usage to give an accurate response?

Although general adoption is undoubtedly higher, HelloSafe’s study could indicate that Canadians are using VPNs with a purpose in mind. While there are plenty of reasons to have your VPN enabled all the time, it’s common for people to use their VPN only when they want to achieve a specific outcome.

Reasons Canadians Should Use a VPN

Now that we’ve looked at the responses Canadians gave about their VPN usage, let’s look at the benefits in detail.

1. Safeguard Your Data

Companies and Institutions want your data to make informed decisions. Data about customers and potential customers is a valuable resource to them.

When you use online services, data about your usage and behaviours become part of a massive data set. It often happens without the user’s knowledge and their ongoing consent. Rather, the details about data collection are buried somewhere in the companies’ terms of service or privacy policy.

Additionally, malicious users and cybercriminals are always looking for ways to gain personal information to aid in their agenda.

VPNs give you a powerful way to opt out of excessive data collection which is now the norm. It protects your identity online by hiding your IP address. This makes it difficult or impossible for others to pinpoint your device and your location.

2. Get Access to Geo-Restricted Content

It’s normal for Canadians to feel left out when their favourite TV shows and movies aren’t available on streaming apps. Harry Potter, Good Fellas, and Seven are just a few examples of classic movies that aren’t available on Netflix Canada.

Canadian subscribers typically get access to less content overall than Americans on streaming sites such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. It works the opposite way too as shows like The Office and Fargo are available for streaming in Canada but not in the U.S.

Websites and apps sometimes use geo-targeting to determine which content or content libraries to display to the user. It’s annoying when music in social media posts, videos on websites, news, etc. are blocked in specific countries.

VPNs replace your IP address with a different IP located in the country of your choice. This allows you to view content intended for people in any country in the world.

3. Make Public Wi-Fi Safe

Public Wi-Fi is notorious for its slow speeds and spotty stability, but it’s security that people should be most concerned about. A survey by All About Cookies found that one in four experienced a security issue from accessing the internet through unsecured networks.

It’s best to assume the Wi-Fi you use in restaurants, hotels, or at the airport isn’t secure. That means your private data, including login credentials associated with sites you visit, is being transmitted with no encryption and could be intercepted.

Any time you use a VPN, the data being transferred from the network to your device and back is protected with the highest level of encryption.

4. Protect Your Identity When Playing Online Games

Online gaming is huge, and while it’s incredibly fun to explore digital worlds, being connected with so many other players has its risks.

Gamers have to watch out for malware, account takeover, phishing attacks through messaging, data breaches, and many other threats.

Gaming platforms like Steam and PSN collect plenty of data about their customers. While you can drill down into the privacy settings and make changes, there are certain types of data collection you might not be able to opt out of.

VPNs make it impractical or impossible for malicious gamers, gaming platforms, and third parties to see the IP address of your PC or pinpoint your location.

Looking for the Best VPNs?

It’s getting more common to see VPNs packaged with other software and services such as comprehensive online security suites. However, there’s power in choosing the best VPN for you rather than settling for solutions that try to do everything.

If you’ve never used a VPN before or are looking for a new one, have a look at LetMeBy’s top 3 VPNs.

Conclusion

There’s been a big boost in awareness and usage of VPNs. At this point, most people have heard of VPNs and they have a rough idea of what they do. Canadians are pushing forward and taking control of their destiny online.

Still, we’re in the early days in terms of leveraging privacy enhancement tools like VPNs. Canadians are using VPNs to achieve their goals but if the data from HelloSafe is accurate, most haven’t jumped in with both feet yet.

How to Watch US Netflix in Canada

Oh Canada, you’re lovely but Canadians can’t help but want the stuff Americans have. Although the CN Tower and Whistler’s ski resorts are iconic, sometimes one craves New Orleans’ cuisine or the energy of New York City.

Netflix Canada has come a long way. It ranks third in terms of having the most content and is one position behind the US which is second. Still, depending on your watching habits, many think that Netflix US is far ahead.

US Netflix Vs. Netflix Canada

On paper, there doesn’t seem to be a huge difference between the content library in Netflix US versus Canada. According to a snapshot of its content in 2022 Canada offered about 5,730 titles (both movies and TV shows). And Netflix in the US had 5,879 titles. That’s only 149 additional titles to choose from. However, don’t let the stats fool you!

Netflix US has the top-rated TV shows so many are itching to watch! Healer, The Best of Enemies, The Office, and Grey’s Anatomy are examples of popular shows that Canadian Netflix subscribers don’t get access to. The American version of Netflix shines when it comes to its selection of TV shows.

Netflix Canada has its strengths too. Canadians get access to some award-winning movies that Americans don’t such as Wind River, Hell or High Water, and Eastern Promises. Additionally, their Canadian library has some TV shows like Pretty Little Liars and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air which are nowhere to be found on US Netflix.

Why Netflix US has Awesome Shows Canadians Don’t Get

It’s a bit frustrating. Why are Canadian subscribers excluded from some of the best content on Netflix? First, we need a basic overview of how the TV and film industries work.

Although Netflix is the service that delivers all the programming the vast majority of its content is supplied by movie studios, television networks, and other providers.

Netflix signs contracts with each company that creates content so new titles can be added to their libraries. In those contracts, the studios and networks specify which regions get access to their titles and which ones don’t.

Thus, Netflix is simply following these contracts and delivering content according to the requirements of its creators. Most of us will never know exactly why The Office isn’t available to Canadians. Customers simply have to work with the cards they’re dealt.

How Netflix Knows Its Subscribers are Based in the US or Canada

When you visit Netflix’s website it automatically directs you to a regional version of their site. So, if you live in Canada it ensures you’re doing business with Netflix’s Canadian operations. It means you’re billed in CAD and get access exclusively to their content for Canadian subscribers.

Each time you use the Netflix app to watch programming the app detects where you’re located. Your smartphone, PC, or other device has an IP address associated with it. That IP is a quick, effective way for providers to know what country you’re accessing their service from.

So, in theory, it doesn’t matter if you signed up with Netflix Canada or Netflix US. What’s significant is the country you’re currently accessing Netflix from. To test this, Canadian subscribers can watch Netflix while they’re on vacation in the US. Voila, they’ll have full access to Netflix’s US content library.

How to Watch Netflix’s US-Only Content in Canada

To view the Netflix US content library, you need to appear to be in the US when the Netflix app or website checks your location.

The most effective way to watch Netflix in Canada is by using a VPN. What’s that? It means virtual private network. A VPN works between your internet service provider and the website or app you’re connecting to. It creates an intermediary layer that enhances your security and privacy online. VPNs make it easy to change your IP so you can choose an IP address that is associated with any country.

Over the years Netflix has detected that many users are accessing their app and website from the same IPs. So yes, they’re wise to the use of VPNs to view regional content. In fact, some IPs won’t work with Netflix, and some VPN services are better than others for streaming Netflix. If too many people are already using the same IP address users can be temporarily denied access. The good news is this is often solved simply by choosing a different IP address from those provided by your VPN.

Tips on Choosing the Right VPN for Watching Netflix

Netflix is constantly improving its tech and refining its policies. One example of this is their crackdown on password sharing which started at the end of 2022.

Before subscribing to a VPN service it’s advised that you check the latest posts on Reddit’s r/NetflixViaVPN community. Redditors there share which VPNs they’re using and which VPNs work with Netflix as well as which ones don’t.

To ensure you go with a solid VPN service overall read LetMeBy’s reviews of the top 3 VPN services.

Want the fastest answer? These are the VPNs most commonly recommended here for watching Netflix US in Canada:

When it comes to the best VPN services for streaming, speed is a key factor. HD video takes a good amount of bandwidth and all that data is sent through your VPN. Pretty much any VPN that requires a monthly subscription is speedy and capable of streaming high-quality video.

Are There Risks Associated with Watching Netflix US in Canada?

It’s clear that Netflix is aware that people use VPNs to unblock content and they’d rather their subscribers didn’t. Using a VPN is against their terms. However, a lot of Netflix subscribers have a VPN. It’s becoming more and more common to use VPNs for general internet use and most people that have one never turn it off.

Netflix aims to enforce its rules while keeping its subscribers. So, Netflix won’t toss you off its platform for watching TV shows and movies with a VPN. At worst an IP address provided to you by your VPN will be blocked by Netflix. In many cases, it’s just a question of choosing a different IP that isn’t on their radar.

Wrapping It Up

Some of the best TV shows are on Netflix US but Canadian subscribers don’t need to feel left out. A Canadian Netflix subscriber with a VPN gets the best of both worlds. This gives you access to content that Americans don’t get, plus all the exclusive content available in the US.

VPNs are handy for watching Netflix but that’s really just the beginning of their applications. Browsing the Web while knowing your every action isn’t being tracked is a liberating experience.