The Gift Card industry in Canada has seen significant changes over recent years as our downtowns met with challenges ranging from online purchasing to the pandemic, and the more recent cost of living crisis. Within this, we’ve seen changes in Gift Card demand, including the rise of the multi-business Gift Card, the emergence of localism, the switch from paper programs to high tech alternatives, and the use of Gift Cards to distribute funds with dignity and provide tangible business support.

In this White Paper, we take an in-depth look at the Gift Card industry in Canada, utilizing research data from the Incentive Research Foundation, the GCVA, academic sources, plus research undertaken by Miconex with over 1500 employees, consumers and organizations in 2022. We also consider how places in Canada have utilized the Downtown Gift Card concept in a variety of use cases to meet the macro environment challenges currently faced. And we look towards the future, and how the Gift Card industry can continue to evolve to solve some of society’s most pressing concerns.