Canadians plan to spend more on holiday shopping this year, survey finds

Canadians plan to spend more on holiday shopping and visit more brick-and-mortar stores compared to last year, a new Retail Council of Canada survey has found.

A new Retail Council of Canada (RCC) survey has found that Canadians say they are going to spend significantly more on holiday shopping, visit more brick-and-mortar stores and attend more in-person celebrations compared to last year.

In 2020, Canadians planned to spend $693; but in 2021, they plan to spend $792, according to the survey.

And because the firm said consumers often spend more than they planned to, that figure could be closer to $800.

“Canadians are ready to put the disruption of COVID behind them and are looking forward to returning to brick-and-mortar stores," Diane J. Brisebois, RCC president and CEO, said in a press release. "Nevertheless, they are buying differently than they were prior to the pandemic.”