Market comparison
Canada vs Singapore: agency markets compared
Agency work in Canada is labour-cost driven, not tooling driven: a much cheaper proposal usually means less seniority, fewer hours or subcontracting. Most agencies are independent specialists, so buyers usually assemble two or three partners rather than one full-service group.
Market size and coverage
Advertising figures come from the named industry body or statistics agency in each market. They are published on different bases and in different currencies, so treat them as scale, not a ratio.
Canada
Budgets quoted in CAD where sourced.
- Advertising industry operating revenue
- $15.4bn (2024)
- Digital advertising revenue
- $21.2bn forecast (2025)
Up 8.0% on 2023, the fourth straight year of growth, with an operating profit margin of 13.6%.
Source: Statistics Canada, Advertising and related services, 2024
Up from $18.2bn in 2024, a 16.6% year-over-year increase.
Source: IAB Canada Internet Advertising Revenue Survey and Forecast, 16 October 2025
Listed agencies: 43 across 7 cities
Scored on our methodology: 10
Main cities: Toronto (28), Vancouver (6), Montreal (5), Fergus (1), Mississauga (1), Quebec City (1)
Deepest specialties: Brand Strategy (18), Branding (18), Digital Marketing (16), Web Design (15), Content Marketing (14)
Singapore
Budgets quoted in SGD where sourced.
- Digital advertising spend
- S$2.34bn (2023)
59.7% of total advertising spend in Singapore.
Listed agencies: 31 across 1 city
Scored on our methodology: 10
Main cities: Singapore (31)
Deepest specialties: Web Design (10), Branding (9), SEO (9), Ecommerce Marketing (8), Brand Strategy (7)
Rules that change the work
These differences usually matter more to a cross-border engagement than price does.
Canada
- Ad Standards, administering the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards
- Competition Bureau on deceptive marketing practices
- CASL consent, identification and unsubscribe requirements for commercial electronic messages
- Quebec's Charter of the French Language as amended by Bill 96 for French-language marketing
Singapore
- Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore under CASE, administering the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice
- Personal Data Protection Act and its Do Not Call provisions
- Spam Control Act sender identification and unsubscribe requirements, with IMDA guidance on unsolicited communications
What we have published for each market
Canada
- Top 10 Marketing and Branding Agencies in Canada (2026)Last researched September 8, 2026
- Hiring a Marketing or Branding Agency in Canada: A Buyer's GuideWhat the Canadian agency market looks like in 2026, what work costs, how Quebec language rules and CASL affect campaigns, and how to build a shortlist you can defend.
Singapore
- Top 10 Marketing and Branding Agencies in SingaporeLast researched September 10, 2026
- Singapore Marketing and Branding Agency Market: A Buyer GuideHow the Singapore agency market works, what the rules require, and how to shortlist a branding, search, ecommerce or PR partner with evidence.
Choosing between Canada and Singapore
- Pick the market where the work is being sold, not where it is cheapest. Local media buying, language and consumer regulation are the hardest things to outsource across a border.
- For a cross-border engagement, agree the contract currency, who carries exchange-rate risk, where the work is performed and how personal data moves between the two jurisdictions before you sign.
- Ask both shortlists the same question: show one comparable project, the brief, what changed afterwards, and where those numbers came from.
- Check who actually runs the account. In both markets, the senior people in the pitch are frequently not the people delivering the work.