As we head into a new planning cycle, one truth stands out: multicultural consumers are quickly becoming a core driver of Canada’s economic growth. This isn’t a feel-good statement; it’s backed by hard data. For executives, embedding a robust multicultural marketing strategy into business planning is no longer optional – it’s essential for relevance, growth, and competitive advantage.
The Numbers Behind the Opportunity
Canada’s demographic landscape is rapidly evolving. Today, visible minorities comprise over 22% of the population up significantly from just 4.7% in 1981 and this share continues to rise.
By 2036, immigrants could represent between 24.5% and 30% of Canada’s population, and nearly half the population could be either an immigrant or the child of one.
Multicultural consumers are already a significant economic force. Roughly 7.7 million multicultural consumers (about 20% of the population) are now active in Canada’s marketplace and this group could almost double to 15 million by 2036.
From a purchasing-power standpoint, visible minorities contribute hundreds of billions to the economy, with estimates showing their share of consumer spending growing alongside their population share.
These demographic shifts are reshaping consumer markets and media consumption patterns, meaning brands ignoring multicultural audiences risk missing out on a rapidly expanding market segment.
Trend 1: Goals Must Be Rooted in Demographic Reality
For the C-suite, the first step is acknowledging the business impact of shifting demographics. Goals should be tied to real population and spending trends, not assumptions. Marketers should evaluate:
- Audience growth forecasts (e.g., immigrant and visible minority population trends)
- Cultural consumer segments with rising purchasing power
Leaders should ask: Are our customer personas reflective of today’s Canada? If not, what gaps exist in our segmentation and targeting?
Trend 2: From Representation to Relevance
While diverse imagery in advertising is common, relevance goes beyond representation. Multicultural consumers expect brands to understand their cultural contexts, languages, media habits, and values.
Data shows multicultural audiences are heavy digital and mobile users, creating opportunities for tailored digital experiences and first-party data activation strategies.
To measure progress, establish goals around:
- Cultural resonance metrics (brand affinity, message memorability)
- Engagement lift among prioritized multicultural segments
- Conversion or loyalty effects tied to culturally tailored experiences
Trend 3: Accountability Through Measurement
Multicultural marketing must justify investment with measurable outcomes. Traditional KPIs like reach and impressions must be complemented with performance indicators such as:
- Incremental revenue from targeted multicultural audiences
- Share of wallet gains among key segments
- Media cost efficiency relative to mainstream spend
By linking these measures to annual performance goals, multicultural efforts become measurable contributors to business outcomes.
Trend 4: Culture Is a Cross-Functional Priority
Successful multicultural marketing isn’t only a marketing function—it’s an organizational imperative. Leaders should consider goals such as:
- Embedding cultural insights into product strategy, customer experience, and innovation roadmaps
- Investing in internal training to build cultural competency
- Partnering with agencies and research firms with proven expertise
Looking Ahead: What Success Looks Like
In 2026 and beyond, organizations that treat multicultural audiences as strategic growth drivers – not niche segments – will gain market share, deepen customer loyalty, and build stronger brands in a diverse Canada.
Setting multicultural marketing goals grounded in data, accountability, and cultural nuance positions companies to thrive in a marketplace where nearly one in two people may be immigrant or second-generation by 2036.
