Although a lot of TV shows are made in Canada, particularly in Vancouver or the Toronto region for Live-action and Vancouver or Montreal for animated series, in order to be considered Canadian Content (or CanCon for short) by the Canadian Radio and Television Commission (CRTC) a TV show or movie must meet the following criteria ("Canadian" here means citizen or permanent resident):
- The producer must be a Canadian.
- A minimum of six points based on the following people being Canadians: Director, 2 points; Writer, 2 points; Leading performer, 1 point; Second leading performer, 1 point; Head of art department, 1 point; Director of photography, 1 point; Music composer, or Editor, 1 point each.
- At least one of the director or writer, and at least one of the two leading performers must be Canadian.
- If non-Canadians fill the positions of director and writer, or both leading performers then all other key creative functions must be filled by Canadians.
- At least 75 percent of the total remuneration paid to individuals (other than the producer and key creative personnel) or for post production work must be paid to Canadians. And, at least 75 percent of processing and final production costs must also be paid for services provided in Canada.
Achieving Canadian Content (or CanCon) status is important as 60% of broadcast time on Canadian stations must be CanCon material. In particular, 50% of broadcast time from 6pm to midnight must be CanCon, although news broadcasts, local programming, and sports do count toward that total (provided a commentator and at least one athlete is Canadian).
More information on CanCon regulations, as well as a link to a full list of programming considered "Canadian" (it's a really long list) available here.
Despite the Canadian origin, many Americans living near the northern border would know a lot of local Canadian TV shows, and vice versa. For instance Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario are basically the same large city.
Tropes particularly associated with Canadian series:
- Ace Lightning
- Adderly
- The Adventures of Shirley Holmes
- The Adventures of Sinbad
- Alias Grace
- Alice
- Anne with an E (known simply as Anne in the initial April 2017 broadcast)
- Ants in Your Pants
- Arctic Air
- Are You Afraid of the Dark?
- Artzooka
- Avocado Toast
- Barbie: Dreamhouse Adventuresnote
- Beachcombers
- Being Erica
- Being Human (US)
- The Best Years
- Between
- The Big Comfy Couch
- The Big Garage
- Big Wolf on Campus
- Billy the Exterminator season 7
- Bitten
- Bizarre
- Black Hole High (a.k.a. Strange Days At Blake Holsey High)
- Bliss
- Blood Ties (2007)
- Blue Moon
- Body Language
- Bomb Girls
- Bookmice
- The Border
- Border Security
- The Borgias (an Irish-Canadian-Hungarian co-production)
- Bumper Stumpers
- A Bunch of Munsch (anthology series based on the works of Robert Munsch)
- Burden of Truth
- Buzz (2000)
- Call Me Fitz
- Caméra Café
- Canadian Idol
- Canada's Worst Driver
- Canada's Worst Handyman
- Cardinal
- Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future
- Cavendish
- Chain Reaction (Geoff Edwards-era series)
- Check It Out!(Work Com about a fictional supermarket in Brampton, Ontario)
- Circle Square (Religious Edutainment series based around the "Circle Square Ranch" summer camps)
- Classics Dark and Dangerous
- C.L.Y.D.E. (animated series about a talking jukebox)
- Code Name: Eternity
- Le cœur a ses raisons
- Cold Squad
- The Collector (2004)
- Combat Hospital
- Connor Undercover
- Continuum
- Corner Gas
- Coroner
- Cracked (2013)
- Crawford
- Creeped Out
- Dan for Mayor
- Da Vinci's Inquest
- Da Vinci's City Hall
- Dans Une Galaxie Près De Chez Vous
- Dark Matter (2015)
- Dark Oracle
- Death Comes to Town
- Debra!
- Degrassi
- Departures
- Dieppe
- Dino Dan
- Dino Lab (co-production with the United States)
- Disasters at Sea
- Disasters of the Century
- District 31
- Doctor Who (international co-production between the BBC and CBC for a few years)
- Dog House (live-action comedy series about a talking dog who has the mind of a police officer who gets killed in a car accident)
- Don't Drive Here!
- The Doodlebops
- Dragons' Den
- The Drunk and on Drugs Happy Funtime Hour
- Due South
- The Fabulous Show with Fay & Fluffy
- Family Law (2021)
- La Femme Nikita
- Flashpoint
- Forever Knight
- Fortunate Son
- The Forest Rangers
- Fraggle Rock
- Frankie Drake Mysteries
- The Friendly Giant
- Fries With That? (Work Com about five teens working at a Burger Fool. Based on the Quebec French language series Une grenade avec ça?)
- Haven
- Heartland
- Hiccups
- Hillside (broadcast in the U.S. as Fifteennote )
- History Bites
- Hitler: The Rise of Evil
- Hockey Night in Canada
- Holly Hobbie (2018)
- The Hour (CBC)
- How It's Made
- How to Be Indie
- Hudson and Rex
- Human Trafficking
- Ice Pilots NWT
- Incredible Story Studio
- The Indian Detective
- Instant Star
- Intelligence (2006)
- Insecurity
- Iris The Happy Professor
- Island of Bryan (broadcast in the US as Renovation Island)
- Jann
- Joan of Arc
- Join In!
- JPod
- Just Cause
- Just for Laughs: Gags
- Kenny vs. Spenny
- The Kennedys (International American-Canadian production)
- The Kids in the Hall
- Killjoys
- Kim's Convenience
- King of Kensington
- Kitty Cats
- Lamb Chop's Play-Along
- Land O'Hands
- Last Car Standing
- The L.A. Complex
- The Latest Buzz
- Less Than Kind
- The Lets Go Show (filmed in Toronto, but broadcast in the United States)
- Letterkenny
- Lexx (co-production with Germany and United Kingdom)
- Life with Boys
- Life with Derek
- The Listener
- Little Mosque on the Prairie
- The Littlest Hobo (both series)
- Lost & Found Music Studios
- Lost Girl
- Love It Or List It
- Made in Canada
- Maniac Mansion
- Mantracker
- Mary Kills People
- Matrix
- Mentors
- Miracle Planet (co-production with Japan)
- Mohawk Girls
- Monster Warriors
- Motive
- Mr. D
- Mr. Dressup
- Mr. Young
- The Murders
- Murdoch Mysteries
- Mutant X
- My Babysitter's a Vampire
- My Secret Identity
- My Special Book
- Mysterious Ways
- Mystery Hunters
- Odd Squad (also airs on PBS Kids in the United States)
- The Odyssey
- Once A Thief
- Open Heart
- Orphan Black
- The Other Kingdom
- Out With Dad
- The Outer Limits (1995)
- Radio Active
- Radio Enfer
- Radio Free Roscoe
- Ransom
- Readalong
- Ready or Not
- The Red Green Show
- ReBoot: The Guardian Code
- ReGenesis
- Republic of Doyle
- The Rez
- The Rick Mercer Report
- Road to Avonlea (broadcast in the U.S. as simply "Avonlea")
- RoboCop: Prime Directives
- Robocop The Series
- Robson Arms
- Rookie Blue
- Royal Canadian Air Farce
- Sanctuary
- Saving Hope
- Schitt's Creek
- SCTV
- Seed
- Seeing Things
- Seriously Weird
- Sharon, Lois, and Bram's Elephant Show
- Shining Time Station
- Skinnamarink TV
- Slasher
- Slings & Arrows
- Some Assembly Required
- Sonic Prime
- Spun Out
- The Stanley Dynamic
- Stargate SG-1
- The Star Lost
- St. Bear's Dolls Hospital
- Strange Empire
- Street Legal
- Student Bodies
- Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye
- Super Dave
- Super Pay Cards
- Survivorman
- System Crash
- Talk About
- Téléfrançais!
- Testees
- This Hour Has 22 Minutes
- This is Wonderland
- This Movie Sucks
- Til Debt Do Us Part
- Titanic (1996)
- Today's Special
- Todd and the Book of Pure Evil
- The Tom Green Show (for the first two seasons until it was picked up by MTV)
- Total Recall 2070
- Tracker
- Trailer Park Boys
- Transplant
- Trickster
- Tropical Heat
- The Tudors (an Irish-Canadian co-production)
- Turkey Television
- The Twilight Zone (1985) (1988-89 episodes only)
- Versailles (a France-Canada co-production)
- Video And Arcade Top 10
- Video on Trial
- Vikings (an Irish-Canadian co-production)
- Vikings: Valhalla (an Irish-Canadian-American co-production)
- You Can't Do That on Television
- Young Robin Hood (U.S.-Canada co-production between Hanna-Barbera and Cinar)
- 3 Amigonauts
- 6teen
- The 9th Life of Sherman Phelps
- 1001 Nights (2011)
- Aaagh! It's the Mr. Hell Show! (co-produced with the UK)
- Abby Hatcher
- Action Man (2000)
- The Adventures of Chuck & Friends
- The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police
- The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin
- The Adventures of Tintin (1991) (co-produced with France)
- Agent Binky: Pets of the Universe
- Albert the Fifth Musketeer (co-produced with France)
- Almost Naked Animals (co-produced with the United States)
- The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers (co-produced with the UK)
- The Amazing Spiez! (co-produced with France)
- Anatole
- Angela Anaconda
- Animal Crackers
- Animal Mechanicals
- Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series
- Anytown
- Archie's Weird Mysteries (co-produced with America, France and Belgium)
- Arthur (co-produced with the United States)
- Atomic Betty
- Atomic Puppet
- Babar
- Babar and the Adventures of Badou
- Bad Dog
- The Backyardigans (co-produced with the United States)
- The Bagel and Becky Show
- Bali (co-produced with France)
- The Baskervilles (a UK-Canada co-production)
- Beast Machines
- Beast Wars
- Beat Bugs (co-produced with Australia)
- Beetlejuice (despite being based on an American movie)
- Being Ian
- Ben's City
- The Berenstain Bears (the 2003 PBS Kids series)
- Best and Bester (Canadian-Finnish-British co-production)
- Best Ed
- Beverly Hills Teens (a Canadian/American/Belgian co-production)
- Big Blue
- Birdz
- Blaster's Universe
- Blazing Dragons (co-produced with France and Britain)
- Bo on the Go!
- Bob and Margaret
- Bolts & Blip
- Braceface
- Brady's Beasts
- Bromwell High (co-produced with Britain)
- A Bunch of Munsch
- The Busy World of Richard Scarry
- Cadillacs and Dinosaurs (co-produced with the United States)
- Caillou
- Camp Lakebottom
- Captain Flamingo
- Captain Star (co-produced with Britain)
- Care Bears (1980s)
- Carl²
- Chaotic
- Chilly Beach
- Chip and Potato
- Chirp
- Chop Chop Ninja
- Chop Socky Chooks (co-produced with the UK)
- Chuck's Choice
- Clang Invasion (co-produced with Singapore and Australia)
- Class of the Titans
- Clifford the Big Red Dog
- Clone High
- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2017) (despite being based on an American film)
- Committed
- Conan the Adventurer (co-produced with France and the United States)
- C.O.P.S. (1988) (US-Canada co-production)
- Corduroy
- Corn & Peg
- Counterfeit Cat (a UK-Canada co-production)
- The Country Mouse And City Mouse Adventures (co-produced with France)
- Cracked (2016)
- Crashbox (co-produced with the United States)
- Crash Canyon
- Creep School
- Cupcake & Dino: General Services (co-produced with Brazil)
- Cyberchase (co-produced with the United States)
- Cybersix
- Daft Planet
- Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood (co-produced with the United States)
- The Dating Guy
- The Day My Butt Went Psycho! (co-produced with Australia)
- The Deep (co-produced with Australia)
- Delilah & Julius
- Delta State
- Detentionaire
- Dex Hamilton: Alien Entomologist (co-produced with Australia)
- Di-Gata Defenders
- Dino Ranch
- Dinosaucers (an American-Canadian co-production)
- Dinosaur Train (an American/Canadian/Singaporean co-production)
- Dinotrux (co-produced with the United States)
- D'Myna Leagues
- D.N. Ace
- The Dog & Pony Show
- Dog City (co-produced with the United States)
- Doki
- Donkey Kong Country
- Doodlez
- Dorg Van Dango (an Ireland-Canada co-production)
- Dot.
- Dr. Dimensionpants
- Dragon
- Dragon Booster
- Dragon Tales (an American-Canadian co-production)
- Dragons: Fire & Ice (co-produced with the United States)
- Droids (co-produced with the United States)
- The Dumb Bunnies
- Eckhart
- Ed, Edd n Eddy (co-produced with the United States)
- Edgar & Ellen
- Edward
- Eek! The Cat (co-produced with the United States)
- The Eggs (co-produced with Australia)
- Elinor Wonders Why (co-produced with the United States)
- Ella the Elephant
- Elliot Moose
- Endangered Species (2015)
- Erky Perky (co-produced with Australia)
- Esme & Roy (co-produced with the United States)
- Ewoks (co-produced with the United States)
- Fangbone!
- Flying Rhino Junior High
- Fly Tales
- For Better or for Worse
- Franklin
- Franny's Feet
- Freaktown
- Freaky Stories
- Fred the Caveman
- Fred's Head
- Free Willy: The Animated Series
- Fugget About It
- Funpak
- The Future Is Wild (despite being based on a British-American series)
- Futz!
- Gary and His Demons
- Genius Genie
- George and Martha
- George of the Jungle (2007) (Canadian-American co-production)
- George Shrinks
- Get Ed
- Girlstuff/Boystuff
- Glenn Martin DDS (co-produced with the United States)
- Go Away, Unicorn!
- Gofrette (French co-production)
- Grojband
- Grossology
- Growing Up Creepie
- Handy Manny (co-produced with the United States)
- Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs (a UK-Canada co-production)
- Heathcliff & the Catillac Cats (a French/American/Canadian production)
- Henry's World
- Hero Elementary (co-produced with the United States)
- Hilda (co-produced with Britain)
- The Hollow
- Hot Wheels: Battle Force 5
- Hotel Transylvania: The Series (despite being based on an American film)
- Hoze Houndz
- H₂O: Mermaid Adventures (co-produced with Australia and France)
- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
- Iggy Arbuckle
- Inspector Gadget (a French-American-Canadian production)
- Inspector Gadget (2015)
- Ivanhoe: The King's Knight (co-produced with France)
- Jack the Explorer
- Jacob Two-Two
- Jane and the Dragon
- Jean-Luc & Dondoozat (co-produced with France)
- Jibber Jabber
- Jimmy Two-Shoes
- John Callahan's Quads! (co-produced with Australia)
- Johnny Test (co-produced with the United States)
- JoJo's Circus (co-produced with the United States)
- Justin Time (2011)
- Kaput & Zosky (co-produed with France)
- Kate & Mim-Mim
- Katie and Orbie
- Kevin Spencer
- Kid Paddle (co-produced with France)
- Kid vs. Kat
- The Kids from Room 402
- King
- Kingdom Force
- Knuckleheads
- The Last Kids on Earth (a US-Canada co-production)
- League of Super Evil
- Let's Go Luna! (co-produced with the United States)
- Life's a Zoo
- Little Bear
- Little Charmers
- The Little Flying Bears (co-produced with Croatia)
- Littlest Pet Shop (2012) (a US-Canada co-production)
- Looped
- Madeline (co-produced with France)
- Maggie and the Ferocious Beast
- Magi-Nation (a Korean-Canadian co-production)
- Magic Adventures of Mumfie (The first two seasons and the Christmas Episode of the show were produced in Canada, while the third season was produced in Spain)
- The Magic School Bus (co-produced with the United States)
- The Magical Adventures of Quasimodo (co-produced with France)
- Martha Speaks (co-produced with the United States)
- Martin Mystery
- The Marvel Superheroes
- Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse
- Matt Hatter Chronicles
- Max and Ruby
- Max the 2000-Year-Old Mouse
- Mega Babies (co-produced with the United States)
- Mega Man: Fully Charged (co-produced with the United States)
- Mega Man (Ruby-Spears) (co-produced with the United States)
- Metajets
- Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks (US-Canada co-production)
- Mighty Express
- Mike the Knight (co-produced with Britain)
- Mischief City
- Miss BG
- A Miss Mallard Mystery
- Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends
- Molly of Denali (co-produced with the United States)
- Mona the Vampire
- Monster Force (co-produced with the United States)
- Mother Up
- Moville Mysteries
- Mummies Alive! (co-produced with the United States)
- My Big, Big Friend (a Brazilian-Canadian co-production)
- My Dad the Rock Star
- My Friend Rabbit
- My Goldfish is Evil
- My Life Me (co-produced with France)
- My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (co-produced with the United States)
- My Pet Monster
- The Mysteries of Alfred Hedgehog
- Mysticons
- Mythic Warriors: Guardians of the Legend
- The Naughty Naughty Pets
- Ned's Newt
- Nerds and Monsters
- The Neverending Story: The Animated Adventures of Bastian Balthazar Bux
- Night Hood (co-produced with France)
- Ninjago (a Danish-Canadian co-production)
- Norman Picklestripes (US-Canada-UK co-production)
- Numb Chucks
- Odd Job Jack
- Oh No! It's An Alien Invasion
- Ollie!
- Ollie's Pack
- Olliver's Adventures
- Ovide and the Gang
- Packages from Planet X (co-produced with the United States)
- Papa Beaver's Storytime
- PAW Patrol
- Pearlie
- Peep and the Big Wide World
- Peg + Cat (co-produced with the United States)
- Pelswick
- Pig City
- Pikwik Pack
- Pippi Longstocking (1997 series; co-produced with Germany and Sweden)
- Pirate Express (co-produced with Australia)
- Pirates: Adventures in Art
- Planet Sketch (a British-Canadian co-production)
- Police Academy: The Animated Series (US-Canada co-production)
- Polly Pocket
- Potatoes and Dragons (co-produced with France)
- Powerbirds
- Producing Parker
- Punch!
- The Raccoons
- Ranger Rob
- Rated "A" for Awesome
- Ratz (co-produced with France)
- Rayman: The Animated Series
- ReBoot
- Redakai
- Redwall (despite being based on a British book series)
- Remy & Boo
- The Ren & Stimpy Show (co-produced with the United Statesnote )
- Rescue Heroes
- Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World (co-produced with the United States)
- Ricky Sprocket: Showbiz Boy
- The Ripping Friends (co-produced with the United States)
- R.O.B. the Robot
- Robinson Sucroe (co-produced with France)
- Roboroach
- Rocket Monkeys
- Rocket Robin Hood
- Rolie Polie Olie
- Rollbots
- Rosie's Rules (co-produced with the United States)
- Roswell Conspiracies: Aliens, Myths and Legends (co-produced with the United States)
- Rotting Hills
- Ruby Gloom
- Rupert
- Rusty Rivets
- The Save-Ums!
- Saving Me (US-Canada co-production)
- Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat (co-produced with the United States)
- Scaredy Squirrel
- The Secret World of Benjamin Bear
- The Secret World of Santa Claus
- Seven Little Monsters
- Sharky And George (co-produced with France)
- SheZow (co-produced with Australia)
- Shadow Raiders
- Sidekick
- Silverwing
- Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings (2002)
- Sitting Ducks (co-produced with the United States)
- Skyland
- Slugterra
- The Smoggies
- Sons of Butcher
- Spider-Man (1967) (co-produced with the United States)
- Spliced
- Station X
- Stickin' Around
- Stōked
- Storm Hawks
- Summer Memories (Canadian-Israeli co-production)
- Super Dinosaur (co-produced with the United States)
- Super Why! (co-produced with the United States)
- Super Wish
- Supernoobs (co-produced with the United States)
- Tales From The Cryptkeeper
- Team Galaxy
- Theodore Tugboat
- Three Delivery
- Time Warp Trio
- Timothy Goes to School
- Toad Patrol
- The Tofus (co-produced with France)
- Toon Bops
- ToonMarty
- Toopy and Binoo
- Toot & Puddle
- Top Wing
- Total Drama
- Total Drama Presents: The Ridonculous Race
- Total DramaRama
- Totally Spies! (France-Canada co-production from the third season onwards)
- Trailer Park Boys: The Animated Series
- Treasure (British-Canadian co-production)
- A Treasure In My Garden
- Tripping the Rift (co-produced with the United States)
- Trollz
- Trucktown
- True and the Rainbow Kingdom (co-produced with the United States)
- Turbo Dogs (an American/Canadian/New Zealand co-production)
- Turtle Island (a German-Canadian co-production)
- The Twins (2000)
- Undergrads (US-Canada co-production)
- Untalkative Bunny
- Urban Vermin
- W.
- Wandering Wenda
- Watership Down (1999)
- Waynehead (a Canadian-American co-production)
- Wayside
- Weird-Ohs
- Weird Years
- What About Mimi?
- What It's Like Being Alone
- What's with Andy?
- Wild C.A.T.s (1994)
- Wild Kratts (an American-Canadian co-production)
- Will and Dewitt
- Willa's Wild Life
- Winston Steinburger and Sir Dudley Ding Dong (co-produced with Australia)
- Wishfart
- Work It Out Wombats! (co-produced with the United States)
- World of Quest
- Wunschpunsch (co-produced with France)
- Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum (co-produced with the United States)
- Xcalibur
- X-Men: The Animated Series
- Yakkity Yak (co-produced with Australia)
- Yam Roll
- Yin Yang Yo!
- Yvon of the Yukon
- Zafari
- Zeke's Pad (co-produced with Australia)
- Zeroman
- The ZhuZhus
- Zigby