Plan, buy, and measure Toronto DOOH on AdQuick across 5,500+ digital screens -- Yonge-Dundas Square, the Financial District, King West, YYZ airport, and the TTC. CPMs from C$7 programmatic to C$36+ on Yonge-Dundas and Bay Street LEDs; campaigns from C$2,000 through TIFF and Raptors/Leafs playoff takeovers.
Programmatic open-exchange inventory accessible from CAD $500–$2,500 test budgets through DSPs like AdQuick, Vistar Media, Broadsign Ads, and StackAdapt. Every format, vendor, CPM band, and buying path covered — with COMMB measurement, Canadian Code of Advertising Standards compliance, and TTC and GTAA creative rules in one place.
Digital Out-of-Home Advertising in Toronto: Inventory, Costs & Programmatic Guide
Digital out of home advertising in Toronto covers an estimated 12,000+ digital screens across the TTC, GO Transit, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Yonge-Dundas Square, condo and office lobbies, shopping centres, roadside digital bulletins, and Gardiner/DVP/401 corridor inventory. Typical DOOH CPMs in Toronto range from CAD $5–$9 for street-level and transit 6-sheets to CAD $25–$45+ for premium large-format landmark screens.
From iconic landmark LEDs to place-based screens in lobbies, transit, and shops — Toronto's DOOH stack covers every commute, errand, and night out.
Yonge-Dundas Square large-format LEDs, Union Station digital spectaculars, and Eaton Centre main walls. Canada's most iconic DOOH zone, anchored by Branded Cities, Astral, and Outfront — the Canadian equivalent of Times Square.
TTC platform D6s and station dominations, GO Transit at Union and major stations, premium airside and landside digital at Toronto Pearson YYZ, and the new ShyftLabs-powered network at Billy Bishop YTZ.
Digital bulletins along the Gardiner Expressway, Don Valley Parkway, 401, 427, 400, QEW, and 404 — plus street-level digital 8-sheets across downtown and the inner suburbs from Pattison Outdoor and Astral.
PATH underground network screens, shopping-centre digital at CF Eaton Centre, Yorkdale, Square One, Sherway, and Vaughan Mills, condo and office-tower lobbies and elevators (Captivate), gyms, bars, restaurants, and rideshare toppers.
Pattison Outdoor holds the TTC exclusive and operates the largest Canadian OOH footprint, with Astral, Rogers, Outfront Canada, Lamar Ontario, Allvision, Branded Cities, and Captivate completing the supply.
DOOH pricing in Toronto depends on venue type, format, daypart, campaign duration, and buying model. Four pricing models are in active use across the market.
Cost per thousand impressions — dominant for programmatic DOOH (pDOOH) and most digital street-level and transit inventory. Range: CAD $4–$45+ depending on venue.
Dominant for premium landmark screens (Yonge-Dundas Square, Union Station digital spectaculars, CF Eaton Centre main LEDs). You buy X% of the loop for a fixed weekly or four-week fee.
Used on some networked place-based screens where you pay per insertion rather than on impression delivery.
Fixed impression count at a negotiated CPM, delivered via DSP against a reserved deal ID — predictable spend with programmatic operational benefits.
| Format | Typical CPM (CAD) | Typical Minimum Buy | Buying Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| TTC platform digital 6-sheet | $5–$10 | $2,000/4 weeks | SOV / programmatic |
| TTC Digital Domination (station takeover) | $8–$14 blended | $15,000/4 weeks | Direct / PG |
| GO Transit digital (Union, major stations) | $6–$12 | $2,500/4 weeks | SOV / programmatic |
| Street-level digital 8-sheet (Pattison, Astral) | $6–$11 | $2,500/4 weeks | SOV / programmatic |
| Roadside digital bulletin (Gardiner, DVP, 401) | $7–$14 | $3,500/4 weeks | SOV / programmatic |
| Toronto Pearson YYZ digital (airside + landside) | $20–$40 | $5,000/week | Direct / PG |
| Billy Bishop YTZ digital (ShyftLabs-powered) | $15–$30 | $3,500/week | Direct / PG |
| PATH underground digital | $8–$15 | $2,500/4 weeks | SOV / programmatic |
| Shopping centre digital (Eaton Centre, Yorkdale, Square One) | $10–$25 | $3,000/week | SOV / programmatic |
| Yonge-Dundas Square / landmark LEDs | Quoted by slot share | $20,000–$60,000+/week | SOV packages |
| Condo & office lobby (Captivate) | $10–$18 | $2,500/4 weeks | SOV / programmatic |
| Rideshare / taxi digital toppers | $6–$12 | $1,500/week | Programmatic / direct |
| Programmatic open exchange (blended) | $4–$15 | $500 test | Auction |
Ranges reflect typical Toronto in-charge rates for commercial campaigns; agency-negotiated rates and programmatic auction clearing prices can run below these floors. For live quotes tied to actual availability, pull pricing through the AdQuick marketplace.
DOOH inventory in Toronto is defined by venue environment, not creative format. Below: the venue categories that matter and who owns them.
| Venue Category | Primary Media Owners | Typical CPM (CAD) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| TTC subway & streetcars (platform D6, DEP, Digital Dominations) | Pattison Outdoor | $5–$14 | Commuter reach, downtown dwell |
| GO Transit rail (Union Station, Oakville, Mississauga, Markham, etc.) | Astral (Bell Media), Pattison | $6–$12 | 905/GTHA commuter, Union footfall |
| Roadside digital bulletins (Gardiner, DVP, 401, QEW, 400 corridor) | Pattison, Astral, Outfront, Lamar Ontario | $7–$14 | Drive-time reach |
| Toronto Pearson YYZ (airside + landside digital) | Clear Channel Airports, JCDecaux (select), Astral | $20–$40 | Premium travellers, international |
| Billy Bishop YTZ (ShyftLabs-powered network) | PortsToronto / ShyftLabs partners | $15–$30 | Business travellers, short-haul, US corridor |
| Shopping centres (CF Eaton Centre, Yorkdale, Sherway, Square One, Vaughan Mills) | Pattison, Astral, Branded Cities | $10–$25 | Shopper marketing, retail, CPG |
| Landmark / full-motion LED (Yonge-Dundas Square, Dundas & Victoria, Union Station digital) | Branded Cities, Astral, Outfront | SOV packages | Iconic brand moments |
| PATH underground network | Astral, Pattison | $8–$15 | Downtown professional, lunchtime dwell |
| Condo / office lobbies & elevators | Captivate (Newad) | $10–$18 | B2B, financial services, condo demo |
| Rideshare / taxi toppers | Firefly Canada, select operators | $6–$12 | Nightlife, downtown mobile reach |
| Gyms, bars, restaurants (place-based) | Newad (Bell Media), Zoom Media Canada, Vibenomics | $8–$16 | Fitness, food & beverage, entertainment |
| Cinema digital | Cineplex Media | $15–$30 | Entertainment, younger audiences |
Canada's most iconic DOOH zone, anchored by large-format LEDs operated by Branded Cities, Astral, and Outfront. The Canadian equivalent of Times Square.
Over 50 million passengers annually; premium airside and landside digital across Terminals 1 and 3.
The new DOOH network launched by PortsToronto with ShyftLabs targets short-haul business travellers to New York, Chicago, Boston, Montreal, and Ottawa.
The highest-footfall subway interchanges; digital platform 6-sheets, cross-platform verticals, and station dominations available.
Premium shopper DOOH with large-format LEDs and D6 networks.
The highest-reach drive-time digital in Ontario.
| Area / Corridor | Audience Profile | Signature Formats |
|---|---|---|
| Yonge-Dundas Square & Yonge corridor | Tourism, 18–34, entertainment-seekers, students (Toronto Metropolitan University) | Landmark LEDs, large-format digital spectaculars |
| Financial District (King & Bay) | Finance, legal, professional services, B2B decision-makers | Union Station digital, PATH network, condo/office lobbies |
| Liberty Village & King West | Tech, creative, 25–40 professionals | Roadside digital, streetcar exteriors, bar/restaurant place-based |
| CF Toronto Eaton Centre & Yorkdale | Premium shoppers, tourists, families | Shopping-centre large-format + D6 |
| Toronto Pearson YYZ | Affluent international, business travellers | Airside + landside premium digital |
| Billy Bishop YTZ | Business short-haul, US corridor, premium leisure | ShyftLabs-powered landside digital |
| Gardiner Expressway & Don Valley Parkway | Drive-time commuters, 905 → downtown | Digital bulletins and D-Max equivalents |
| 401 corridor (incl. 427, 400, 404/DVP interchanges) | GTA-wide drive-time | Large-format roadside digital |
| Scarborough / North York / Etobicoke hubs | Multicultural suburban audiences | Mall digital, roadside, transit |
| Mississauga Square One, Vaughan Mills, Sherway Gardens | 905 shoppers, families, new-Canadians | Mall digital, surrounding roadside |
| Queen West / West Queen West | Gen Z, creatives, nightlife | Streetcar, bar place-based, roadside digital |
| Distillery District & Leslieville | 30–45 urban professionals, hospitality | Place-based, roadside digital |
Pattison Outdoor holds the TTC's out-of-home contract; GO Transit and Union Station inventory is split between Astral and Pattison. Combined, these networks deliver roughly 2 million+ weekday riders across the GTA.
| Transit Format | Dimensions / Resolution | Typical Location | Slot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform Digital 6-sheet (D6) | 1080×1920 (portrait) | Subway platforms, ticket halls | 10 sec in 60-sec loop |
| Digital Cross-Platform Vertical | 1080×1920 | Facing platforms at major stations | 10 sec in 60-sec loop |
| Station Digital Domination | Multiple synchronised screens | Union, Bloor-Yonge, St. George, etc. | Customised |
| GO Train Union Station digital (large-format) | 1920×1080 + custom | Union concourses and tunnels | 10 sec |
| Streetcar digital interior | Varies | On-vehicle screens | 10 sec |
TTC requires creative submission through Pattison's planning team against TTC advertising policies (political, cannabis, alcohol, and sexual health copy all carry restrictions). Build in 5–10 business days for approval. GO Transit/Metrolinx creative requires separate clearance. Moving creative and dynamic triggers are widely supported across both digital estates.
Reach and frequency on Toronto transit DOOH is reported through COMMB, which uses a combination of passenger counts, Statistics Canada data, and mobile device verification to produce weekly circulation and visibility-adjusted impressions by campaign.
Programmatic DOOH now accounts for a double-digit share of Canadian DOOH spend, with Toronto as the largest pool of pDOOH-enabled inventory in the country. Every major media owner has enabled programmatic paths through one or more SSPs.
How pDOOH works. A DSP sends bids into an SSP representing one or more media owners. When a play opportunity opens on a screen, the SSP runs an auction (or fulfils a reserved deal) and returns the winning creative to the ad server. Screen-level identifiers, venue taxonomy, and dayparting determine which auctions your campaign participates in.
DSP and marketplace — transacts programmatically across every major SSP (Vistar, Hivestack, Place Exchange, Broadsign Reach, VIOOH) and aggregates direct inventory from every major Canadian media owner (Pattison Outdoor, Astral, Rogers Sports & Media, Outfront Canada, Lamar Ontario, Allvision, Branded Cities) in a single unified plan, with native COMMB planning, creative delivery, and attribution.
Largest pDOOH DSP globally; deep Canadian inventory coverage; self-serve and managed service.
Montreal-headquartered; integrated with Broadsign Reach SSP and the Broadsign CMS footprint across Canadian media owners.
Toronto-founded omnichannel DSP; DOOH module is popular with Canadian performance advertisers.
Self-serve pDOOH platform, strong for SMB and mid-market.
DOOH as a channel within TTD's omnichannel buying.
DOOH channel access across multiple SSPs.
JCDecaux-backed SSP with DSP functionality; Canadian access via select deal IDs.
Pattison Outdoor, Astral (Bell Media), Rogers Sports & Media OOH, Outfront Canada, Lamar Ontario, Allvision, Branded Cities, and Captivate are accessible via Broadsign Reach.
Pattison Outdoor, Astral, and Outfront Canada offer programmatic supply through Place Exchange for roadside, transit, landmark, and Newad lobby networks.
Canadian-founded; strong Toronto footprint across Pattison, Astral, Rogers, Outfront, Lamar, Allvision, Branded Cities, and Captivate inventory.
JCDecaux-backed SSP path enabling Canadian access via select deal IDs across landmark and airport-adjacent inventory.
Owner-side path used by major Canadian operators for programmatic pipelines into Vistar Media and partner DSPs.
| Deal Type | How It Works | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Open Exchange | Auction-based bidding into the broadest available pool of programmatic inventory. | Lowest CPM, broadest pool, flexible spend |
| Private Marketplace (PMP) | Invite-only deal with preferred floor pricing and access to premium inventory. | Premium placements with negotiated terms |
| Programmatic Guaranteed (PG) | Fixed impression count, fixed CPM, reserved inventory delivered against a deal ID. | Predictable delivery, premium control |
DOOH in Canada is measured against a single industry-accepted audience currency: COMMB.
The Canadian Out-of-Home Marketing and Measurement Bureau (COMMB) operates Canada's OOH audience measurement system, combining traffic and pedestrian counts, Statistics Canada census data, mobile device verification, and a visibility model to produce weekly circulation, reach, frequency, and impressions by campaign. COMMB is to Canadian DOOH what Route is to the UK and Geopath is to the US — every Toronto DOOH plan should start with COMMB data.
Impressions, reach, frequency, Share of Voice (SOV), CPM, CPV, store visits, branded search lift, sales lift, and conversion lift where first-party data (e.g., retailer loyalty, e-commerce) is available.
Standard creative specifications, motion rules, and clearance requirements across the Toronto digital OOH estate.
| Format | Resolution | Aspect | Duration | File |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscape digital bulletin (roadside) | 1920×1080 | 16:9 | 10 sec | MP4, JPG, PNG |
| Portrait D6 / TTC platform / lobby | 1080×1920 | 9:16 | 10 sec | MP4, JPG, PNG |
| Shopping-centre large-format | 1920×1080 or custom | 16:9 | 10 sec | MP4, JPG, PNG |
| Yonge-Dundas Square / landmark LEDs | Custom (often 5760×1080+ or bespoke) | Varies | Varies | Owner-specified |
All Canadian advertising, including DOOH, must comply with the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards administered by Ad Standards. Categories with extra scrutiny in Toronto:
Media owners, network operators, and DSPs that make up the Toronto digital OOH supply chain.
TTC exclusive; national roadside digital; shopping centres; largest Canadian OOH operator.
Roadside digital, landmark, Union Station, Newad condo/gym/bar networks.
Roadside digital, venue and arena inventory (Scotiabank Arena, Rogers Centre adjacency).
Roadside digital, transit, landmark.
Roadside digital bulletins along 400-series highways.
Branded digital networks, Toronto DOOH footprint.
Yonge-Dundas Square operator; landmark LED specialist.
Condo and office-building elevator digital networks.
Cinema digital across GTA theatres.
Toronto Pearson YYZ digital estate (selected contracts).
Billy Bishop YTZ new digital network.
AdQuick, Vistar Media, Broadsign Ads, StackAdapt DOOH, Adomni, The Trade Desk (OpenPath DOOH), Yahoo DSP, and VIOOH all transact Toronto DOOH inventory across Pattison, Astral, Rogers, Outfront Canada, Lamar Ontario, Allvision, Branded Cities, and Captivate's networks.
AdQuick is a DSP and marketplace that transacts programmatically across every major SSP (Vistar, Hivestack, Place Exchange, Broadsign Reach, VIOOH) and aggregates direct media-owner inventory from Pattison Outdoor, Astral (Bell Media), Rogers Sports & Media, Outfront Canada, Lamar Ontario, Allvision, Branded Cities, Captivate, and Cineplex Media into a single unified plan — with native mapping, creative delivery, COMMB audience planning, mobile audience extension, and foot-traffic attribution. That means one platform to plan, buy, measure, and report across the full Toronto and GTA DOOH landscape, rather than running parallel DSP seats and parallel owner RFPs.
From transit clearance to MTO highway rules and PIPEDA privacy — what every Toronto DOOH plan must account for.
Three planning archetypes — from a CAD $2,500 programmatic test to a CAD $200K+ flagship anchored by Yonge-Dundas Square and Pearson.
Lightweight programmatic flight to validate creative and venue mix in the downtown core.
A multi-venue programmatic flight with PMP deals, weather DCO, and a foot-traffic lift study.
National flagship campaign anchored in Toronto with rolling programmatic across the top 5 Canadian markets.
Three viable buying paths, depending on budget, scale, and complexity.
Contact Pattison Outdoor, Astral (Bell Media), Rogers Sports & Media OOH, Outfront Media Canada, Lamar Ontario, Branded Cities, Allvision, or Captivate directly. Best for flagship, landmark, and large-budget direct buys (Yonge-Dundas Square SOV packages, TTC Digital Dominations, Pearson YYZ premium walls). Downsides: parallel RFPs, inconsistent pricing transparency, and manual plan stitching across owners.
Open a seat on AdQuick, Vistar Media, The Trade Desk, or StackAdapt DOOH. Best for impression-based, flexible, and data-targeted campaigns from CAD $500 test budgets upward. Downsides if picking a single non-unified DSP: some DSPs are SSP-restricted, so you won't see every Toronto SSP's supply from one seat.
The unified DSP and marketplace approach — AdQuick is a DSP and marketplace that transacts programmatically across every major SSP (Vistar, Hivestack, Place Exchange, Broadsign Reach, VIOOH) and aggregates direct inventory from every major Toronto media owner (Pattison Outdoor, Astral, Rogers, Outfront Canada, Lamar Ontario, Allvision, Branded Cities, Captivate, Cineplex Media) in a single unified plan, with COMMB audience data, creative delivery, mobile audience extension, and foot-traffic attribution all native. The fastest path for any buyer who wants full-market access without stitching together parallel DSP seats and owner RFPs.
Toronto DOOH planning, pricing, screen counts, and programmatic — answered in plain English. Built from advertiser questions on AdQuick.
AdQuick is the DOOH DSP and marketplace that unifies programmatic buying across every major SSP (Vistar, Hivestack, Place Exchange, Broadsign Reach, VIOOH) with direct media-owner inventory across Toronto — including Pattison Outdoor's TTC exclusive, Astral (Bell Media)'s roadside and Newad networks, Rogers Sports & Media OOH, Outfront Canada, Lamar Ontario, Allvision, Branded Cities' Yonge-Dundas Square LEDs, Captivate's condo and office lobbies, Clear Channel Airports at Toronto Pearson YYZ, and the ShyftLabs-powered network at Billy Bishop YTZ.
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