The 2026 Canadian Search Behaviour Report: Google, AI and B2B Planning
This report gives Canadian marketers a sourced view of search and AI-assisted research for the year ahead. After eighteen years of watching how Canadian B2B buyers actually search, we publish the version that says what the data means for a CMO’s 2026 to 2027 planning.
Direct answer: Canadian B2B search planning should account for both conventional search and AI-assisted research. The evidence reviewed here supports a multi-source approach, but does not establish how often Canadian B2B buyers start with AI or how their search journeys have changed since 2023. Traditional SEO remains relevant; review AI visibility alongside search performance and business outcomes.
This is Canada Create’s annual reference report for CMOs planning search strategy for the year ahead. This update draws on published buyer and Canadian internet-use research, selected Canadian keyword estimates and current platform guidance. Their different populations, dates and measurement limits are set out below.
What the available search evidence shows
Gartner’s survey of 645 B2B buyers, conducted in August and September 2025, found that respondents used seven information sources on average during a recent purchase and 45% used generative AI. The public release does not give a Canadian breakdown. These are information-source and AI-use measures, not counts of queries before a demo or a tracked sequence from AI to Google.
For Canadian context, CIRA’s 2026 Canadian Internet Trends report surveyed 2,000 adult Canadian internet users in March to April 2026. It reported that 46% had used generative AI in the previous year; 52% of those AI users used it as a search tool. The latter figure is not 52% of all Canadians, and neither measure describes B2B buyers’ first research source. CIRA published these findings on 28 July 2026, after this article’s original publication; they are included in this update.
Our selected Canadian English keyword estimates from 7 and 26 September 2026 include comparison, cost and city-modified service queries. The histories vary by query. They describe estimated query demand, not identifiable buyers or a representative Canadian B2B journey. They should not be read as Google Trends findings or proof that one query category is growing faster than another.
| Evidence reviewed | Scope and limit | Planning question |
|---|---|---|
| AI use during B2B research | Gartner’s buyer survey measures use during a purchase, without a Canadian breakdown or a 2023 first-source baseline. | Which search, AI and human touchpoints help buyers evaluate your offer? |
| Generative AI use in Canada | CIRA’s adult internet-user survey provides Canadian context, not a B2B purchasing sample. | Where could AI-assisted discovery matter to your audience, and what can you measure? |
| Comparison and cost queries | Selected Canadian keyword estimates show demand for individual queries, not content-format superiority. | Which comparisons and cost questions can your content answer usefully? |
| City-modified service queries | Selected query estimates provide local-demand context, without establishing broad growth or return on investment. | Does location matter to the service, and are local enquiries being measured? |
We plan and run B2B SEO for B2B and software companies in Toronto and across Canada, scoped in writing after a free review.
What AI Overviews mean for Canadian B2B content
Track AI citations and traditional rankings separately. Google explains that its generative AI features can issue related searches through query fan-out. A ranking for one query should therefore not be treated as a complete measure of AI visibility.
Make direct answers easy to find under useful headings, with enough explanation and sourcing to help the reader. This is a readability recommendation, not a claim that a particular answer-capsule format earns more citations. Google does not require that format.
Perplexity and ChatGPT Search cite differently
AI answer engines can use different retrieval and ranking systems, but their published documentation does not establish a common formula that weights authorship or source diversity above backlinks. Use accurate authorship, clear organizational information and evidence that readers can verify. This aligns with the broader E-E-A-T emphasis our own agency work has leaned into over the past two years, treating named authorship and structured data as core infrastructure rather than a nice-to-have. For Google, ordinary SEO practices remain relevant; special AI schema and answer-capsule formatting are not requirements for appearing in generative AI results.
Keep author information accurate and use relevant structured data consistently with the visible page. Google’s people-first content guidance encourages clear authorship where readers would expect it; it does not establish a citation boost from named-author bylines or schema. Our AI search optimization service can review these content and technical practices.
The trust marker: what this data cannot tell you
Evidence and methods, updated 12 October 2026: This report combines separately sourced observations, not one national study. Gartner’s public release describes a B2B buyer survey without a Canadian breakdown; CIRA describes Canadian adult internet users; our September keyword research is a selected query sample. Search-volume estimates are not people, journeys, leads or revenue. The sources do not establish a comparable 2023 Canadian AI-first baseline, a measured AI-to-Google sequence, or the effect of authorship and formatting on our clients’ citations. Recommendations are presented as planning judgements. Later findings are identified by their dates rather than attributed to the original 15 July publication.
Questions for Canadian B2B content planning
Use the evidence above to test these content questions against your own customers, queries and results:
- Explain cost and total cost of ownership. Where relevant, show what is included, what can change the price and what a buyer needs to budget beyond the initial fee.
- Review advice that may be outdated. Explain what still works, what has changed and the evidence behind the distinction.
- Match the format to the decision. Frameworks, comparisons and lists can each be useful. Choose the format that answers the question and evaluate its results.
- Make relevant Canadian and local context clear. Explain real service areas, delivery requirements and applicable market or regulatory considerations.
A 2026 to 2027 search strategy informed by the evidence
The framework Canada Create recommends for CMOs planning the year ahead:
- Audit your existing content for answer-capsule structure. Make the answer easy for readers to find. This is the first pass in our SEO services and content writing work.
- Invest in named authorship and structured data as core infrastructure, not an afterthought. Keep authorship accurate and any structured data consistent with the visible content. Google does not require structured data for generative AI search or promise citations from it.
- Choose decision-framework or comparison content where it fits the task, particularly for questions about alternatives and costs. Keep useful lists when they serve the reader better.
- Track citation across multiple engines, not just Google ranking position, even though the tooling for this is still maturing.
- Maintain accurate local relevance signals where location matters to the service, including services with both remote and in-person delivery. Our local SEO work covers the Google Business Profile side of that for eligible businesses.
Is your site affected by the AI Overview shift?
Before rebuilding a content strategy, review the available evidence for your site. Falling clicks alongside steady or rising impressions do not, by themselves, establish that AI answers caused the change. Google’s current guidance points to Search Console’s Generative AI performance report for measuring performance in generative AI features; compare that evidence with page, query and conversion trends.
A risk is treating every traffic change as a problem to fix with more content. Publishing more pages alone does not guarantee citations. Audit which of your pages are cited in AI answers, and strengthen the ones that should be. Assess commercial, quote-request and “near me” queries using their own search and conversion evidence rather than assuming they are less affected.
Canada Create’s recommendation for 2026-2027 planning
- Content teams: Review whether existing high-value pages answer readers’ questions clearly before investing heavily in new content volume. Prioritize changes based on the gaps and outcomes you can measure.
- Technical SEO teams: Use Person, Organization and Article schema where applicable, consistently with the visible content. These types are not a special requirement for Google’s generative AI features.
- CMOs planning budget: Maintain traditional SEO investment while adding AI citation tracking as a new reporting line, understanding the measurement limitations described above.
- Local or regional B2B service providers: Do not deprioritize local SEO signals based on assumptions about AI search reducing their relevance. Keep eligible business details current and assess local enquiries and conversions.
Frequently asked questions
What do current Canada search trends mean for B2B marketing plans?
Plan for both conventional search and AI-assisted research. The evidence supports a multi-source approach, but it does not show how often Canadian B2B buyers start with AI or how their journeys have changed since 2023. Traditional SEO remains relevant, and AI visibility belongs in the same review as search performance and business outcomes.
How many Canadians use generative AI for their searches?
CIRA's 2026 Canadian Internet Trends report, which surveyed 2,000 adult internet users in March and April 2026, found that 46% had used generative AI in the previous year. Of those AI users, 52% used it as a search tool, so the figure is not 52% of all Canadians. Neither number describes where B2B buyers start their research.
How is AI changing the search behaviour of B2B buyers?
Gartner's survey of 645 B2B buyers, run in August and September 2025, found respondents used seven information sources on average during a recent purchase, and 45% used generative AI. The public release gives no Canadian breakdown. These figures measure information sources and AI use, not a tracked path from an AI tool to Google.
Should Canadian B2B companies track AI citations apart from Google rankings?
Yes. Google explains that its generative AI features can issue related searches through query fan-out, so ranking for one query is an incomplete measure of AI visibility. Keep AI citations and traditional rankings as separate numbers and judge both against leads and revenue.
Do Perplexity and ChatGPT Search pick the sources they cite the same way?
They can use different retrieval and ranking systems, and their published documentation sets out no common formula. Accurate authorship, clear organizational information and evidence readers can verify help across all of them. For Google, ordinary SEO practices still apply, and special AI schema or answer-capsule formatting is not required.
Does local search behaviour matter for a Canadian B2B company?
That depends on the service. City-modified service queries show local demand in Canadian keyword estimates, though they do not prove broad growth or return on investment. Ask whether location matters to what you sell, and make sure local enquiries are being measured.
How should shifts in Canadian buyer behaviour shape B2B content in 2026?
Where it is relevant, explain cost and total cost of ownership: what is included, what can change the price and what a buyer should budget beyond the first fee. Review older advice and say what still works and what has changed. Pick the format that answers the question, whether that is a framework, a comparison or a list, and judge it by its results.
Are search volume estimates for Canada the same as real buyer demand?
They are not. Volume estimates describe expected demand for individual queries; they are not people, journeys, leads or revenue. They also should not be read as Google Trends findings or as proof that one type of query is growing faster than another.