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Canada Day pride surges as more people chose to celebrate, travel local: stats reveal
As Canada Day approaches, new data from Petro-Canada's Live by the Leaf index: Canada's first ongoing tracker of national pride reveals that patriotic celebrations this year are taking on a deeper meaning.
Nearly half of Canadians, 48 per cent, say Canada Day holds more meaning for them in 2025 and that sentiment is influencing how they travel, spend, and celebrate.
According to the index, 82 per cent of Canadians are choosing to travel within the country this year, that is up from 75 per cent from last year.
Canada Day Barrie 2022
Barrie residents packed Dunlop Street for Canada Day celebrations on Fri., July 1, 2022 (Christian D'Avino/CTV News)
In Muskoka, that trend started showing as early as May. Local resorts began reporting a surge in bookings with Resorts of Ontario stating, 'Business is definitely up for our owner-operators and right across the province of Ontario,' said Kerri King, executive director of Resorts of Ontario. 'I think what we're finding is that people really do want to stay and support local.'
Last month, at Muskoka Bay Resort staff said they were ahead of last year's pace with an increase in early bookings.
'One of the big things we track is our 'Stay-and-Play' package. It's our most popular package,' said Laura Kiley, director of marketing at Muskoka Bay Resort. 'This year we have double the bookings for the summer as we had this time last year already.'
Muskoka Bay Resort
Muskoka Bay Resort in Muskoka, Ont. (Supplied)
Trips to the states on the other hand, have nearly halved, dropping from 15 per cent to just eight per cent, a 44 per cent decrease in a single year.
Meanwhile, 81 per cent of Canadians plan to celebrate Canada Day in their own communities, with top activities including relaxing at home, watching fireworks, and attending local events.
In Barrie, the city is preparing for a full day of free, family-friendly events. With the Barrie mayor sharing his pride,
'Canada Day is a special occasion for us in Barrie to come together and celebrate the values that make our city and country strong, such as hard work, freedom, and community,' said Mayor Alex Nuttall.
If you too, are looking to stay at home and enjoy the festivities across the region, Centennial Park will be full of traction.
It will host food trucks, live entertainment, and a performance by the Ultimutts Animal Actors Show, along with the Moonwalk Entertainment Family Zone on Canada Day.
Median Place Canada Day 2022
Barrie residents packed Dunlop Street for Canada Day celebrations on Fri., July 1, 2022 (Christian D'Avino/CTV News)
The evening will wrap up with a fireworks display.
According to the Live by the Leaf index, 62 per cent of Canadians feel more confident in Canada's ability to thrive despite U.S. tariff threats, while only 14 per cent feel less confident.
That renewed national pride is translating into buying and selling habits right here in our community.
Flag manufacturers in Barrie reported a spike in orders back in March typically a slower quarter, as Canadians swarmed to purchase local products.
Flags Unlimited
Canada flags are being produced at Flags Unlimited in Barrie, Ont.
(CTV News/Christian D'Avino)
'It's been astronomical. It's hard to keep up,' said Brian Naish, co-owner of Flags Unlimited, to CTV News back in March.
At Sugar City Cupcakes and Cakes, owner Kerry Hayward had rebranded her entire cupcake lineup to showcase her Canadian pride. Previously named after cities around the world, all 32 cupcake flavours now carry Canadian names, a bold move in response to tariff concerns.
To top it all of, 96 per cent of Canadians say at least some new behaviours adopted in 2025 have stuck with them. Now, 47 per cent continue to prioritize buying Canadian-made goods.
