Beyond 'Aboot' and Eh: Canadians Demand Authentic Stories on Screen

TORONTO, ON – May 04, 2026 – A new national survey has revealed a deep-seated frustration among Canadians with how their country and its people are portrayed in American television, fueling a powerful call for more authentic, homegrown stories. The comprehensive poll, conducted by the Writers Guild of Canada (WGC), indicates that while Canadians value their own stories, they feel they are underrepresented, hard to find, and often reduced to tired clichés on screen.

The findings arrive at a pivotal moment for the nation's broadcast and streaming landscape, as new federal regulations begin to reshape how both domestic and foreign media giants contribute to Canadian culture.

The 'Eh' Problem: A Nation Tired of Caricature

According to the survey of 1,000 Canadians, the most pervasive grievance is the stereotypical "funny accent." A striking 71.4% of respondents cited portrayals featuring exaggerated "eh" and "aboot" pronunciations as a top annoyance. This was closely followed by depictions of Canadians as "overly dull and apologetic" (62.3%) and "hockey obsessed" (60.8%).

The clichés extend beyond personality traits to the landscape itself. When asked about how Canada is depicted in American shows, respondents pointed to portrayals of a country in a perpetual state of winter (30.8%), where maple syrup is everywhere (22.2%), and the population consists mainly of Mounties on horses amid endless trees and lakes.

Overall, a mere 12.1% of Canadians feel their country is portrayed in a "mostly realistic" way by their southern neighbours, while the vast majority see the depictions as a mix of realism and cliché (64.4%) or "mostly cliché" (23.5%).

"We are done with tired caricatures and clichés," stated Bruce Smith, President of the WGC, in the press release accompanying the survey. "Canadians want to see themselves and our country authentically represented on their screens. They want stories that reflect our shared values as Canadians. A strong Canada needs representations of ourselves that make Canadians proud."

A Mandate for More Canadian Content

The survey data presents a clear cultural mandate: Canadians are not just tired of stereotypes, they are actively seeking more content made by and for them. An overwhelming 91.7% of respondents believe it is important to have content written and created by Canadians, with 76.7% viewing it as essential for preserving Canadian culture.

However, a significant barrier remains. The top reason cited for not watching more Canadian content isn't a preference for American shows—which only 10.8% claimed—but a perceived scarcity. More than a third of Canadians (36.4%) said there simply isn't enough Canadian content available, while others find it hard to locate (24.2%) or are unsure what qualifies as Canadian (22.4%).

When asked what they want to see more of, the audience's desires were specific. Comedies topped the list of desired genres, followed by historic dramas, sci-fi, fantasy, romance, and Indigenous stories. The public's appetite for homegrown hits is also evident in their desire for revivals, with over a quarter of respondents (25.47%) wishing for another season of the globally acclaimed sitcom Schitt's Creek. Other beloved but concluded shows like Kim's Convenience (16.6%) and Workin' Moms (12.0%) also ranked high.

Policy in Motion: Reshaping Canadian Screens

The WGC's survey and its "Choose Canada" call to action land on fertile ground, as Canada's broadcasting regulations undergo their most significant overhaul in three decades. The recently implemented Online Streaming Act, which modernized the Broadcasting Act, is designed to address precisely the issues of funding and discoverability highlighted in the survey.

For years, traditional Canadian broadcasters like CBC and CTV have operated under CRTC mandates requiring them to air a specific percentage of Canadian content (CanCon). However, these rules did not apply to the global streaming giants that have become dominant forces in the media landscape.

Under the new legislation, that has changed. As of the 2024-2025 broadcast year, foreign streaming services with significant Canadian revenue, such as Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video, are now required to contribute 5% of their Canadian earnings to funds supporting local content creation. This measure is projected to inject an estimated $200 million annually into the Canadian production ecosystem.

This new funding stream is a major victory for advocacy groups like the WGC, which have long argued that foreign platforms profiting from Canadian audiences should be required to invest in the country's cultural sector. The goal is to level the playing field and ensure a steady pipeline of investment for the very comedies, dramas, and sci-fi series that survey respondents are clamouring for.

The Economic and Cultural Payoff

The push for more Canadian content is not merely a matter of cultural pride; it is also a significant economic driver. The Canadian film and television production industry is a major employer, supporting thousands of jobs for writers, actors, directors, and skilled technicians across the country. The fresh injection of $200 million a year from streamers is expected to further stimulate this sector, creating more jobs and contributing to the national GDP.

The WGC survey underscores a belief that this investment will pay dividends both at home and abroad, with 66.2% of Canadians confident that international audiences would watch content written by Canadians. This confidence is well-founded.

The global success of shows like Schitt's Creek, Letterkenny, and Anne with an E has already proven that authentic Canadian stories, far from being too niche, possess a universal appeal. These series succeeded not by sanding down their Canadian identity, but by embracing it, demonstrating a clear path forward. By combining unique local voices with high production values and strategic global distribution—often through the very streaming platforms now mandated to contribute—Canadian creators have shown they can compete on the world stage.

As new policies compel greater investment and audiences voice a clear demand for authenticity, Canada's screen industry appears poised to answer the call, ready to move beyond the caricature and showcase a more realistic, diverse, and compelling vision of itself to the world.