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- calendar_today October 29, 2026
Survey Reveals National Trends in Halloween Participation
Nearly 60 per cent of Canadians are preparing to take part in Halloween festivities on Saturday night, according to a new Canada Pulse Insights poll. The survey, conducted for CityNews, highlights that Halloween 2026 is set to be a widely celebrated event across the country, with parents and young adults leading the way in participation.
Regional Participation: Surrey and Metro Vancouver Stand Out
While the national average for Halloween participation stands at around six in ten, enthusiasm varies significantly by region. Surrey, B.C. leads the country, with 65 per cent of residents saying they plan to partake in holiday activities such as giving out treats or trick or treating. Calgary and Edmonton follow closely, with 63 per cent and 62 per cent of residents indicating they will join in the celebration.
Vancouver and Metro Vancouver also saw a notable rise in participation: 56 per cent of Vancouver residents now expect to participate in Halloween, while the broader Metro Vancouver region rose to 59 per cent, both marking a 10 per cent jump from last year's numbers.
Toronto Shows More Caution This Halloween
Toronto residents appear to be less enthusiastic compared to their counterparts in other major cities. Only 48 per cent reported plans to participate, making it the region with the lowest expected turnout in the Halloween survey. This figure is also five per cent lower than last year's rate for Toronto.
Meanwhile, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), excluding Toronto itself, reports a higher participation figure, with 57 per cent indicating they will dress up or head out for trick or treating.
Parents and Young Adults Lead in Participation
The poll highlights strong engagement from parents of children under 18, with between 76 and 85 per cent across all regions saying their households would celebrate Halloween in some way. Young adults aged 18 to 34 also show high enthusiasm for the holiday, with between 65 and 79 per cent indicating plans to participate.
Daylight Saving Time Gives Revelers More Time
Those planning a night out for Halloween 2026 will benefit from an extra hour to enjoy festivities, as Daylight Saving Time ends early Sunday morning, turning the clocks back and extending the celebration.
About the Canada Pulse Insights Halloween Survey
The findings come from Canada Pulse Insights surveys conducted via an online panel platform managed by Sago. Residents in Toronto (n=510) and the Greater Toronto Area (n=825) completed the survey between September 14 and 25, 2026. Calgary (n=401) and Edmonton (n=383) were surveyed between September 30 and October 9, 2026, and regions in British Columbia—including Metro Vancouver (n=1,374), Vancouver Island (n=511), and the Okanagan Valley (n=498)—participated between September 28 and October 14, 2026.
The margin of error for probability-based random samples of these sizes ranges from ±2.6 to ±5.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Summary
The Halloween survey underscores the ongoing popularity of Canada Halloween traditions, with notable differences in regional participation. Parents and young adults are especially likely to take part, and celebrations in 2026 will get a boost from an extra hour thanks to the time change.
Source: halifax.citynews.ca.
