Canada continuies to build momentum as an integral territory for surf and action-sports lifestyle brands.
The Sitka surf shop in Victoria, British Columbia
On the hottest summer day on Canada’s west coast, the ocean water still isn’t warm enough to surf bare-chested and in boardshorts. One of the top surf tourism destinations in the country—Tofino on Vancouver Island, which hosted the self-explanatorily namedO’Neill Cold-Water Classic surfing competition in 2009 and 2010—has a population of less than 2,000 year-round residents, yet it sees 1 million tourists per year, according to Tourism Tofino.
America’s northern neighbor might not possess the same year-round climate or population as other well-known surfing epicenters, but Canada has become an essential selling territory for surf and action-sports brands. The cool-guy surfer image—and the brand logos they wear on their sleeves—resonates, no matter how frigid the waves are.
