In a survey measuring Canadians’ perceptions of CBC/Radio-Canada’s coverage of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, three quarters of respondents agreed (6–10 on a 10-point scale) that Canada’s Olympic Network provided high-quality coverage of the Games and that the coverage contributed to a shared sense of identity among Canadians.
Earlier this week, the national public broadcaster announced that its Olympic coverage attracted record-breaking digital audiences.
Other survey highlights include:
- Hockey, figure skating and speed skating were among the sports Canadians most enjoyed watching during the Games.
- Almost half of respondents (48 percent) watched the Olympics with friends and family.
- 73 percent of respondents said it was important for CBC/Radio-Canada to feature and celebrate Canadian Olympic athletes in its content; 71 percent said that CBC/Radio-Canada’s coverage allowed them to follow athletes from their region.
- 80 percent agreed that it is important for Canada to have a public broadcaster to provide coverage of major sporting events such as the Olympics; 77 percent said it was easy for them to access coverage on all of their favourite platforms (e.g. online, social media, TV and radio).
“Milano Cortina 2026 was CBC/Radio-Canada's 25th Games as Canada’s Olympic Network. The way the Games are covered and the platforms people use to experience them have changed over the years; but as these survey results show, what remains constant is how much audiences love the Olympics.
“No other event unites Canadians like the Olympic Games. As Canada's public broadcaster, we're honoured to have shared the journeys of Team Canada athletes with the people cheering them on across the country.”
—Chris Wilson, General Manager, Olympics & Paralympics, CBC/Radio-Canada
The survey of 2,119 Canadians aged 18+ was conducted by Leger via their online LEO panel from February 20–23, 2026. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size yields a margin of error no greater than ±2.1% (19 times out of 20).
CBC/Radio-Canada will continue to serve as Canada's official broadcaster for the next three Olympic Games: Los Angeles 2028, French Alps 2030, and Brisbane 2032.
About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages: Dëne Sųłıné, Dene Kǝdǝ́, Dene Zhatıé, Eastern Cree, Dinjii Zhuʼ Ginjik, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun and Tłı̨chǫ. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.
