Winning the Canadian Market Starts with the Right Affiliate Strategy
- Katey Harrison
- Jul 22
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 5
From local loyalty platforms to Quebec compliance, here’s how Canadian affiliate programs are evolving and what smart brands are doing differently.
Canada Is Not Just a Smaller U.S. Market
Affiliate marketing in Canada is not a copy-paste version of the U.S. Treating it as such can lead to underperformance. The Canadian affiliate landscape is mature and evolving. It is shaped by a unique mix of cultural, regulatory, and consumer behavior factors.
What’s working in Canada reflects this complexity. Local loyalty programs are outperforming global coupon models. Quebec demands more than just translated copy, and creators are gaining momentum despite algorithm changes. Many cross-border brands find that their successful strategies in existing markets do not always translate effectively to the Canadian market.
This post explores what’s working in affiliate marketing in Canada today. It also discusses how innovative brands are adapting to win in this distinct and valuable market.
1. Loyalty Still Leads in Canadian Affiliate Programs
While many affiliate strategies have shifted toward upper-funnel content and creator partnerships, Canadian affiliate programs still lean heavily on loyalty and cashback. This is especially true for platforms that are homegrown or regionally trusted.
Top players include:
Rakuten.ca - the dominant cashback site in Canada.
Ampli - backed by RBC, offering direct deposit rewards.
Drop - mobile-first, targeting Millennial and Gen Z consumers.
AIR MILES Shops - tied to one of the most recognizable loyalty brands in the country.
Aeroplan - Air Canada's loyalty program, allowing members to earn and redeem points.
Canadian consumers are highly value-conscious, especially in the current economic environment. Brands that embrace loyalty as a strategic pillar, rather than a margin drain, are seeing strong and predictable performance.
What’s Working:
Exclusive offers for Canadian shoppers, bonus tiering, and campaign localization for major sales like Boxing Day and Victoria Day (not just Black Friday and Cyber Monday).
2. Quebec Isn’t Optional, It’s a Strategy
Roughly one in four Canadians speaks French as their first language, with the majority residing in Quebec. However, many affiliate programs either under-serve or entirely skip this audience.
Brands that succeed in Quebec tend to:
Provide creative assets developed specifically for Quebec, rather than just translating from English.
Utilize local translators who understand the differences between Quebecois and Metropolitan French.
Partner with French-first content creators and bloggers.
Understand regional nuances in holiday shopping behavior and messaging tone.
What’s Working:
Building dedicated Quebec publisher partnerships and offering bilingual affiliate onboarding and support.
3. Cross-Border Affiliate Programs Require Localization in Canada
Many U.S. brands entering Canada mistakenly assume their existing affiliate infrastructure will scale directly to meet the needs of Canadian consumers. In reality, performance often stalls without localization and partner-specific optimization. There are significant differences to consider.
Common friction points include:
Limited partner overlap - many high-performing U.S. affiliates lack Canadian traffic.
Shipping complexity and cost - Canadian consumers often expect higher thresholds for free shipping.
Currency misalignment - pricing in USD or failing to clarify duties can suppress conversion.
Tax implications - brands may need to adjust commissions or handle GST/HST considerations.
Locally made products - Canadians are increasingly focusing on locally made products.
What’s Working:
Creating Canadian-specific affiliate feeds, geo-targeted landing pages, and segmented commission structures to reflect different economics.
4. The Rise of Content and Creator Partners in Affiliate Marketing in Canada
Canadian affiliate publishers are diversifying. While loyalty remains dominant, content creators and influencer-driven commerce are gaining momentum, especially in verticals like health, home, beauty, and parenting.
Factors fueling this growth include:
Improved tools for content monetization in Canada (e.g., LTK, Shopify Collabs).
Brand demand for upper-funnel engagement amid attribution shifts.
A supportive creator ecosystem with strong niche voices, especially outside major cities.
What’s Working:
Offering longer cookie windows, exclusive content incentives, hybrid (CPC or flat fee plus CPA) structures, working with Canada-based influencer platforms (like Creator.co), and product seeding for creator partners.
5. Privacy Compliance Is Quietly Reshaping Affiliate Strategy
Operating an affiliate program in Canada means navigating a more regulated privacy environment than in the U.S. Brands must consider:
PIPEDA (Federal Privacy Legislation) - governs how private sector organizations collect, use, and disclose personal information during commercial activities.
CASL (Canada’s Anti-Spam Law) - oversees email and SMS marketing.
Quebec’s Bill 64 - a more stringent privacy framework with phased implementation through 2024 and 2025.
These laws influence everything from cookie consent to publisher onboarding and affiliate newsletter communications.
What’s Working:
Making privacy compliance part of the onboarding checklist, providing compliant email copy to partners, and ensuring affiliate pixels and tracking align with evolving standards.
Conclusion: Canada Has Momentum, But It Needs Intention
Affiliate marketing in Canada is mature, active, and growing. However, it rewards those who treat it as its own opportunity. Programs that localize creatively, invest in regional partnerships, and adapt to the country’s regulatory realities are leading the pack.
What’s working now is not a one-size-fits-all formula. It’s a combination of loyalty innovation, creator enablement, and market awareness, all delivered with the nuance Canadian consumers expect.
Want to Grow Your Affiliate Program in Canada?
At AIM, we help brands expand and optimize their affiliate presence in Canada. We offer customized partner strategies, compliance guidance, and regional market expertise.
Talk to our team about how to drive affiliate growth in Canada.
Whether you're launching for the first time or scaling up, our team specializes in navigating the nuances of the Canadian market.* Reach out for a free consultation or download our Canadian Landscape eBook to get going.*
