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)
- Arctic Air
- Are You Afraid of the Dark?
- Artzooka!
- Barbie: Dreamhouse Adventuresnote
- Beachcombers
- Being Erica
- Being Human (US)
- The Berenstain Bears (PBS series)
- The Best Years
- Between
- The Big Comfy Couch
- The Big Garage
- Big Wolf on Campus
- Bitten
- Bizarre
- Black Hole High (a.k.a. Strange Days At Blake Holsey High)
- Bliss
- Blood Ties
- 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
- 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)
- 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 Cur a ses Raisons
- Cold Squad
- The Collector
- Combat Hospital
- Connor Undercover
- Continuum
- Corner Gas
- Coroner
- Cracked (Series)
- 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
- Degrassi
- Departures
- Dieppe
- Disasters at Sea
- 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
- Haven
- Heartland
- Hiccups
- Hillside (broadcast in the U.S. as "Fifteen"note )
- History Bites
- Hitler: The Rise of Evil
- Hockey Night in Canada
- The Hour (CBC)
- How It's Made
- How to Be Indie
- Hudson and Rex
- Human Trafficking
- Ice Pilots NWT
- The Indian Detective
- Instant Star
- Intelligence (2006)
- Insecurity
- 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
- Odd Squad (also airs on PBS Kids in the United States)
- The Odyssey
- Open Heart
- Orphan Black
- The Outer Limits (1995)
- Radio Active
- Radio Free Roscoe
- Ransom
- Ready or Not
- The Red Green Show
- ReBoot: The Guardian Code
- ReGenesis
- Republic of Doyle
- 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
- Spun Out
- The Stanley Dynamic
- Stargate SG-1
- The Star Lost
- Strange Empire
- Street Legal
- Student Bodies
- Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye
- Super Dave
- Super Pay Cards
- Survivorman
- System Crash
- Talk About
- Téléfrançais!
- 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)
- The Twilight Zone (1985) (1988-89 episodes only)
- 2
- Versailles (a France-Canada co-production)
- Video And Arcade Top 10
- Video on Trial
- Vikings (an Irish-Canadian 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
- Aaagh! It's the Mr. Hell Show! (co-produced with the UK)
- Abby Hatcher
- Action Man (2000)
- The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police
- The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin
- The Adventures of Tintin (1991) (co-produced with France)
- Almost Naked Animals (co-produced with the United States)
- The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers (co-produced with the UK)
- Angela Anaconda
- Animal Crackers
- Animal Mechanicals
- Arthur (co-produced with the United States)
- Atomic Betty
- Atomic Puppet (co-produced with France)
- Archie's Weird Mysteries (co-produced with America, France and Belgium)
- Babar (co-produced with France)
- Babar and the Adventures of Badou (a Canadian/French/Luxembourgish co-production)
- Bad Dog
- The Backyardigans (co-produced with the United States)
- The Bagel and Becky Show
- 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
- The Berenstain Bears
- Best Ed
- Beverly Hills Teens (a Canadian/American/Belgian co-production)
- Birdz
- Blaster's Universe
- Blazing Dragons (co-produced with France)
- Bo on the Go!
- Bob and Margaret
- Bolts & Blip
- Braceface
- Brady's Beasts
- A Bunch of Munsch
- The Busy World of Richard Scarry
- Caillou
- Camp Lakebottom
- Captain Flamingo
- Captain Star
- Care Bears (1980s)
- Carl Squared
- Chaotic
- Chilly Beach
- Chip and Potato
- Chirp
- Chop Chop Ninja
- Chop Chop Ninja Challenge
- Chop Socky Chooks (co-produced with the UK)
- Chuck's Choice
- Class of the Titans
- Classical Baby
- Clifford the Big Red Dog
- Clifford's Puppy Days
- Clone High
- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (the TV series; despite being based on an American film)
- Committed
- Corn & Peg
- Counterfeit Cat (a UK-Canada co-production)
- The Country Mouse And City Mouse Adventures (co-produced with France)
- Cracked (2016)
- Crash Canyon
- The Crayon Box
- 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
- 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
- Doki
- Donkey Kong Country (a France-Canada co-production)
- Doodlez
- Dorg Van Dango (an Ireland-Canada co-production)
- Dot.
- Dr. Dimensionpants
- Dragon Booster
- Dragon Tales (an American-Canadian co-production)
- Dragons: Fire & Ice (co-produced with the United States)
- The Dumb Bunnies
- Eckhart
- Ed, Edd n Eddy (co-produced with the United States)
- Edgar & Ellen
- Eek! The Cat (co-produced with the United States)
- The Eggs (co-prodcued with Australia)
- Ella the Elephant
- Endangered Species (2015)
- Erky Perky (co-produced with Australia)
- Esme & Roy (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
- Fugget About It
- Funpak
- The Future Is Wild (despite being based on a British-American series)
- Futz!
- Genius Genie
- George and Martha
- George of the Jungle (the 2007 and 2016 reboot)
- George Shrinks
- Get Ed
- Girlstuff/Boystuff
- Go Away, Unicorn!
- Grojband
- Grossology
- Growing Up Creepie
- 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
- The Hollow
- Hot Wheels Battle Force 5
- Hotel Transylvania: The Series (despite being based on an American film)
- Iggy Arbuckle
- Inspector Gadget (a French-American-Canadian production)
- Inspector Gadget (2015)
- Jack the Explorer
- Jacob Two-Two
- Jane and the Dragon
- 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)
- Kate & Mim-Mim
- Katie and Orbie
- Kevin Spencer
- Kid vs. Kat
- The Kids From Room 402
- King
- 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
- 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)
- 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)
- Metajets
- Mischief City:
- A Miss Mallard Mystery
- Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends
- Mona the Vampire
- Monster By Mistake
- 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)
- The Mysteries of Alfred Hedgehog
- Mysticons
- Mythic Warriors: Guardians of the Legend
- Ned's Newt
- Nerds and Monsters
- Ninjago (a Danish-Canadian co-production)
- The 9th Life of Sherman Phelps
- Numb Chucks
- Odd Job Jack
- Oh No! It's An Alien Invasion
- Ollie's Pack
- Packages from Planet X (co-produced with the United States)
- PAW Patrol (co-produced with the United States)
- 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)
- Pixel Pinkie (co-production with Australia and the UK)
- Planet Sketch (a British-Canadian co-production)
- Polly Pocket
- Potatoes and Dragons (co-produced with France)
- Producing Parker
- The Raccoons
- Rated "A" for Awesome
- Ratz (co-produced with France)
- Rayman: The Animated Series
- ReBoot
- Redakai
- Redwall (despite being based on a British book series)
- 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)
- Roboroach
- Rocket Monkeys
- Rocket Robin Hood
- Rolie Polie Olie
- Rollbots
- Roswell Conspiracies: Aliens, Myths and Legends (co-produced with the United States)
- Rotting Hills
- Ruby Gloom
- Rupert
- Rusty Rivets
- The Save-Ums!
- Scaredy Squirrel
- The Secret World of Santa Claus
- Seven Little Monsters
- 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
- Sons of Butcher
- Spider-Man (1967) (co-produced with the United States)
- Spliced
- Station X
- Stickin' Around
- Stōked
- Storm Hawks
- Super Dinosaur (co-produced with the United States)
- Supernoobs (co-produced with the United States)
- Team Galaxy
- Theodore Tugboat
- Three Delivery
- Time Warp Trio
- Timothy Goes to School
- Toad Patrol
- The Tofus (co-produced with France)
- 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
- A Treasure In My Garden
- Trollz
- 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)
- Undergrads
- Untalkative Bunny
- Urban Vermin
- W.
- Wandering Wenda
- Watership Down (1999)
- Wayside
- Weird-Ohs
- Weird Years
- What About Mimi?
- What's with Andy?
- 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
- World of Quest
- Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum (co-produced with the United States)
- Xcalibur
- X-Men
- Yakkity Yak (co-produced with Australia)
- Yin Yang Yo!
- Yvon of the Yukon
- Zafari
- Zeke's Pad (co-produced with Australia)
- Zeroman
- The ZhuZhus