For many years, we’ve suggested the use of Canadian themes and colours when advertising to Canadians online. It’s always been an easy, effective way to catch the eye of Canadian consumers. As Canadians have become aware of the importance of supporting Canadian businesses, the tactic has become even more powerful.
Most recently, the movement to “buy Canadian” has grown stronger than it’s ever been. Virtually all Canadian brands are proudly declaring their status as “Made in Canada” or “Product of Canada.” It’s more important than ever to use Canadian-themed images that pack a lot of punch, but where can you find affordable, high quality, Canadian stock photos?
5 Websites for Canadian Stock Photos
Following are our favourite sources of Canadian stock images. All are either very affordable (1) or free to use (4), usually with conditions and licenses.
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1. CIRA Canadian Stock Image Gallery
CIRA came up with some fabulous Canadian stock photos to share a few years ago, and they’ve expanded on it since then. They’re fun, often stereotypical, and definitely designed to grab the attention of consumers in this country.
Photo by CIRA/.CA
Most of the images on all of our websites are from Deposit Photos (like the featured image at the top of this post). I appreciate how easy it is to search for photos, illustrations & videos, and I don’t have to worry about whether they’re truly licensed or not. Plus, they usually only cost about a dollar each, which includes AI editing tools.
Canadian stock photo from Deposit Photos
3. Pixabay
Pixabay has a large collection of stock photos that are free to use, including a good selection of Canadian-themed stock images. This one would be better with Canadian geese, am I right? If you’re comfortable with basic graphics design, you could layer a couple of stock photos to do just that.
Image by Frank Winkler from Pixabay
4. Pexels
Pexels has thousands of free, Canadian-theme stock photos, which you can find easily using their search functionality. These Canadian shoes will definitely grab attention!
Photo by Brett Sayles from Pexels
5. Unsplash
You’ll find a decent selection of Canadian-theme photos on Unsplash, which are free to use. The quality varies, but if you’re comfortable doing some light editing they should be fine.
Photo by Eric Prouzet on Unsplash
Make sure you verify conditions for use, restrictions, and licenses for each image you select. Never use images without permission, whether you find them through a search engine or use AI to “design” them.
Should you take your own Canadian photos? Sure! Don’t forget to watermark them to help prevent theft. Additionally, you should get permission to publish photos from the people who are in them (especially children).
Other Ways to Say, “I am Canadian!”
Canadian images are only one way to declare your national pride. Canadians want to know if your business is in Canada, and so do search engines. Following are a few ways to show them.
• Get a .ca domain
• Use a red & white colour scheme on your website or in advertising.
• Add your location on social media accounts and every page of your website.
• Use Canadian spelling and/or offer a Canadian French version of your website.
• Run promotions around Canadian holidays and shopping events.
• Submit your website to Canadian, provincial and city directories. The Government of Canada has a list of directories to consider.
• Submit guest posts to Canadian blogs, and include your website link in the author bio.
Where do you find free or low-cost Canadian stock photos? Please share your tips in the comments below or join us in the Online Business Canada Facebook group.
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Last Updated on April 14, 2025 by Melody McKinnon, Online Business & Marketing Manager
another fabulous resource for Canadians!
The Canadian selection of stock pics has improved! I haven’t really looked much lately or in a few years I guess. So great to see! They’ll come in handy as we cheer for #teamCanada and get those #elbowsup!!