The Aporia · Nearly 1 in 4 Canadians and half of Gen Z have a side hustle, survey finds

A recent Ipsos survey commissioned by Ownr reveals that nearly one in four Canadians engage in side hustles, averaging about 13 hours weekly. Among Gen Z respondents, the proportion climbs to almost half, driven primarily by financial pressures such as income supplementation and debt repayment. The survey also highlights that some side hustlers, particularly younger individuals, view their secondary jobs as potential full-time business opportunities but often struggle with understanding legal requirements for incorporating these ventures.

Written by AI on 2026-10-08, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

Story summary

A new Ipsos survey commissioned by the business registration platform Ownr found that nearly one in four Canadians engage in side hustles to supplement their income. The study revealed that younger generations are particularly involved; nearly half of Gen Z participants reported having a side hustle. Respondents averaged about 13 hours per week on these secondary jobs, with the primary motivations being financial stress and high living costs. Over 25% cited debt repayment as their reason for taking on additional work. Despite this trend, uncertainty remains among those considering incorporation, with 40% unsure of how to proceed legally or whether to incorporate at all. According to Ownr CEO Jordan Casey, these side hustles could represent hidden entrepreneurial opportunities in Canada.

Written for “Side Hustles Increasing” on 2026-11-02, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

📰 Side Hustles Increasing

Economy/Business · 1 article(s) covering the same event.

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Uday Rana

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🔮 While many start a side hustle out of financial stress, it could also be an entrepreneurial opportunity, said Ownr CEO Jordan Casey.

2026-10-08 · assertive framing · Nearly 1 in 4 Canadians and half of Gen Z have a side hustle, survey finds

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Four in 10 (40 per cent) of all respondents said they aren’t sure whether or not to incorporate their side hustle as a business, while another 40 per cent said they don’t understand the legal requirements of starting a business.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-08

🔮 While many start a side hustle out of financial stress, it could also be an entrepreneurial opportunity, said Ownr CEO Jordan Casey.

2026-10-08 · Global News

Nearly 1 in 4 Canadians and half of Gen Z have a side hustle, survey finds · assertive framing

Caught between the high cost of living and mounting debt, Canadians are resorting to side hustles to get by, a new survey has found. asserted

survey → catch → hustles

Nearly one in four (23 per cent) of Canadians say they have a side hustle, averaging 13 hours a week on their secondary job, an Ipsos survey conducted for incorporation and business registration platform Ownr found on Thursday. asserted

survey → say → Thursday

The proportion rises to nearly half (47 per cent) when you add those who are considering getting a side hustle soon. asserted

who → rise → hustle

Younger Canadians are more likely to have a side hustle, with nearly half (46 per cent) of Gen Z respondents saying they currently have a side hustle of some sort. asserted

they → have → sort

The biggest motivation for having a second job was the need to supplement regular income (39 per cent), followed by those who were most concerned about the rising cost of living (33 per cent). asserted

who → have → living

More than a quarter (26 per cent) said they took on a side hustle to pay down debt. asserted

they → say → debt

While many start a side hustle out of financial stress, it could also be an entrepreneurial opportunity, said Ownr CEO Jordan Casey. uncertain

Casey → start → stress

Get daily National news “There’s a lot of entrepreneurial ambition in Canada, and this data proves that even more of it may be hiding in plain sight,” Casey said. uncertain

Casey → get → sight

Around one in five (19 per cent) said they are likely to leave their primary job and turn their side hustle into a full-time business, rising to 29 per cent among Gen Z side hustlers. asserted

they → say → hustlers

More than half of Gen Z respondents said they consider their side hustle a legitimate business. asserted

hustle → say → respondents

However, many still face challenges when it comes to forming an exit plan. asserted

it → face → plan

“What starts as extra income often becomes a realization: ‘I’m actually good at this.’ asserted

I → start → this

Then comes the thought, ‘I could do this full-time.’ uncertain

I → come → this

That’s where it gets hard,” said Casey. asserted

Casey → ’ → ?

they → say → business

The “confidence gap” is larger among women, with only 58 per cent of women saying they know when they need to register their business, compared with 69 per cent of men. asserted

they → say → men

Nearly 1 in 4 Canadians and half of Gen Z have a side hustle, survey finds

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