For Canadians, the options for streaming subscriptions and sites are very different from what you can get in the US, making it difficult sometimes to find what is available for us here. I’ve done the legwork for you and put together a list of streaming subscriptions and sites that have been verified available in Canada. We’ll start by listing the free sites, then paid subscriptions, then a breakdown of some of the different devices available for streaming. Please note: this page is not updated in real time and pricing/supported devices may not be up to date.
FREE Sites to Stream Video in Canada (Legally and Without Cable Package)
There are plenty of the network channels that offer streaming on their websites, but not all are open to stream if you don’t have a cable/satellite package. I’ve sifted through as many as I could find to provide you only with the sites that offer full episodes to stream. Note that many of these services may also have apps available in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Family Channel – kids’ shows
National Film Board of Canada – lots of content for everyone here, maybe a few blasts from the past too
APTN – selection of aboriginal focused content
BNN – up-to-date posting on various news stories and archived footage
Food Network – lots of online episodes
CBC – there’s a tonne of content here. Stream CBC TV shows, documentaries or kids shows. With the free version, you can stream full seasons of shows on demand and view up to 14 local CBC channels live. For the paid version ($4.99/mo.), the on-demand episodes don’t have commercials and you also get access to live CBC news network. www.cbc.ca/archives also has a bunch of interesting content. Search your city name and find old news stories or browse the categories.
Global News – news clips and some live news
HGTV – lots of full episodes available
MUCH – some shows available
OLN – full episodes of Mantracker and Wild Thing with Dominic Monaghan
SLICE – mostly reality TV episodes (Real Housewives,Mob Wives, First Dates)
The Comedy Network – some episodes of shows like Corner Gas Animated, The Daily Show, Just for Laughs and others
Red Bull TV – Lots of content, mostly extreme sports, but also some documentaries and music features. Full length shows and shorts. Available on Apple mobile devices/tablets, Android mobile and tablets, Amazon Fire, Google Chromecast, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, PS3, PS4, Xbox One, Samsung Smart TVs
Viewster.com – anime, web shorts, movies and more. Mostly geared towards the gaming and sci-fi crowd with some comedies thrown in the mix as well. Available as an app through Apple’s App Store and Google Play in addition to browser-based page.
tubiTV – lots of free content here, TV and movies
CTV – free TV shows and movies without subscription. Note many shows and movies do require a cable subscription, but there is still some free programming available as well.
Paid Subscription Services
Netflix is the most obvious choice when it comes to streaming subscriptions, but there are other options to supplement you Netflix account. Netflix is likely to always be a staple in any cord-cutter’s viewing list. Note in this list any service that says it support mobile phones and tablets includes Apple iOS devices and Android devices. If you have a Windows phone or tablet, be sure to check the devices list from provider website. When web browser is listed, this means on a windows or Mac computer.
CraveTV – this is a Canadian streaming service owned by Bell Media. $9.99/month. Available on Chromecast, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox One, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, Windows Phones and tablets, Android Phones and Tablets, iPhone and iPad, web browser, PS4
Amazon Prime – get access to prime video and amazon.ca free two-day prime shipping. $7.99/mo. Available on Amazon Fire, Android and Apple Phones and tablets, smart TVs, PS3, PS4, Xbox One, Apple TV, Computer browser, NVIDIA Shield
YouTube Premium – $11.99/mo. comes with YouTube music streaming, ad-free videos, and access to YouTube original content – this is great for watching concerts, 4K(UHD) content, YouTube original video content, have some friends over for YouTube karaoke (or sing along with the kids – lots of kids’ karaoke available), and you can even find full episodes of some shows (just do a search for “full episodes”).
Netflix – constantly refreshing the TV shows and movies available, lots of original programming. Available on pretty much every device you can stream on. Three subscription tiers:
Basic ($9.99 one device at a time, SD only)
Standard ($14.99 two devices at a time, HD) or
Premium ($18.99, four devices at a time, HD, UHD/4K).
Rogers NHL Live – $179.99 per season, available on mobile devices and tablets, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast and web browser
TSN Direct – includes all five english TSN channels and well as RDS, RDS2 and RDS INFO in french. Cost is $19.99/mo. Accessible on PC, tablet, mobile, Apple TV, Samsung SmartTV and Xbox One.
Sportsnet Now: $19.99/mo. – $27.99/mo – NHL content, some MLB games (Jays games included), NBA games, Premier League and more. No NFL streaming. Web Browser, mobile phones and tablets, Apple TV, Xbox One, PS4, Chromecast
MLB.TV – $24.99/mo Live and on-demand baseball. Be sure to read about blackout information on their site. Available on mobile devices and tablets, PS4, Xbox On, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV
DAZN: $20/mo. Covers NFL, MLB, motor sports, tennis, soccer, WWE and more. Works on Android, iOS, Apple TV, Roku, smart TVs, PS4, PS3, Xbox one, Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV.
CBS All Access – $5.99/mo. – includes a number of CBS shows on demand as well as 24/7 CBS news. Works on Apple and Android mobile phones and tablets, Chromecast, Roku and AppleTV
Qello – $7.99/mo. – owned by Stingray from Montreal, stream on demand and live concerts. iOS phone tablet and Apple TV, Android Phone tablet and Android TV, Amazon Fire and Amazon Tablets, Windows Phones and Tablets, Roku
Britbox – $8.99/mo. – good selection of British tv shows, movies and documentaries
Disney+ – $8.99/mo. or $89.99/year – includes Disney (old and new), Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars (old and new) and National Geographic.
The Green Channel – $9.99/mo – environmental themed films – available on iOS, AppleTV and Chromecast
Streaming Devices
AppleTV – when you’re looking at the list above, there’s one device that supports all the apps, the AppleTV. If you’re serious about your streaming, AppleTV is the way to go. There are currently three options available, ranging from $199 for the 32GB model with 1080p video output, to the 64GB model with 4K support. See the comparison of tech specs here.
Chromecast – is inexpensive at only $45.00 for the standard device. The Chromecast is a small device that connects to an HDMI port on your TV. Video output is 1080p. For 4K/UHD, there is the Chromecast Ultra available for just over $90. Note the Chromecast does not come with a remote, the device is controlled by a smartphone or tablet connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
Roku – there are a few different models with different specifications. Best to check the website and do a comparison for what you need. The Roku starts at $44.99 and goes up to $119.99 for the most expensive model.
Amazon Fire TV – right now only the basic fire TV stick is available in Canada. This supports up to 1080p. There’s no 4K Fire TV available in Canada at this time. The basic Fire TV stick is $49.99
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