A less traditional work model is gaining popularity in Canada, with recent studies indicating that gig work plays a meaningful and often complementary role in household income. A survey from TransUnion, titled The Gig Economy in Canada: Rethinking Credit Risk, Inclusion, and Market Opportunity, highlights the growing importance of gig workers, who now represent about 11% of Canada's workforce.
Gig work spans a wide variety of industries, ranging from unskilled tasks like dog walking and Uber driving to specialized services such as tutoring, photography, web development, and graphic design. According to the report, specialized services make up 30% of the gig workforce, while selling items online accounts for 26%, and freelance digital services round out the top three at 21%.
Majority of Gig Workers Have Full-Time Jobs
The TransUnion study, based on Statistics Canada data from 2024, found that a majority of gig workers are also employed full time. Specifically, 63% of gig workers earn a salary or hourly wage from a full-time occupation, with nearly 40% netting between $1,000 and more than $4,000 per month after expenses from their gig work.
A more recent study by Canadian HRReporter suggests that about 7.3 million Canadian adults are engaged in gig work, equating to approximately 22% of work-eligible Canadians. Securian Canada CEO Nigel Branker noted that follow-up polling conducted 18 months after the company's initial 2024 research shows participation remains steady. "It is pretty steady at seven million-plus Canadians participating in gig work, unchanged from 2024 to 2025," Branker said in a release, indicating that gig work is "more structural … it's no longer a side hustle."
Gig Work Most Popular with Millennials
Gig work trends span across generations, with 34% of millennials holding a full-time job in addition to their side hustle. The TransUnion study reports that 27% of Generation X workers have a side job, and 17% of Generation Z adults also have a second job. Generation Z is classified as those born between 1995 and 2004, millennials between 1980 and 1994, and Generation X between 1965 and 1979.
Gig work also appears to be evolving from a short-term solution into a sustained portion of household income. The report states that 71% of gig workers do not plan to leave this type of work in the near term, with 34% expecting to maintain current hours and 20% planning to increase participation.
