Did you know that there are an estimated 2.8 million Canadians living outside of the country? Whilst most have made happy and complete new lives in their host countries, many still like to keep up with what is happening back at home and most find that the best way to do this, is to watch Canadian TV from abroad. As such, in this post, we will take a look at a few ways to watch CTV from abroad to help ex-pats stay up to date and fend off homesickness!
By the end of this. you will know exactly how to watch TV from abroad, which is the best VPN to watch TV from abroad, and also how to find the best VPN to watch Netflix.
Want To Watch Canadian TV From Abroad?
If you ask Canadian ex-pats what they miss most about home, then the answers will generally vary between the stunning landscapes, the friendly people, and of course real maple syrup. Next in line though, is Canadian TV shows. Yes, they do make television in every other country on earth, and whilst some of it is great, there is nothing quite like watching some native Canadian TV to get a little taste of that unique, wry Canadian humor. And of course, it is also the best way to stay abreast of current events in Canada.
However, if you are living in Bangkok or Berlin, then this is not so easy. Indeed, somewhat rather selfishly Thai TV has a tendency to show Thai language TV shows (including some truly terrible soap operas), and thoughtless German newscasters rarely ever bother to announce Ice Hockey results (can you believe they prefer soccer to ice hockey in Germany? Still, it’s their loss eh?!). So what is a Canuck in exile to do?
Could You Watch CTV From Abroad in the Olden Days?
Historically, the prognosis for watching Canadian TV abroad was not good. If you were lucky and paid for a comprehensive international satellite or cable TV package, you may have been able to get one or two Canadian channels, tune into a North American news roundup, or simply find the odd breakout hit Canadian show being broadcast. But beyond that, you were reliant upon kindly relatives posting you taped VHS cassettes in order to watch CTV from abroad.
How to Watch TV From Abroad Using The Internet
These days though, the internet has remedied that. Just like it revolutionized everything else, it has now revolutionized the way we consume television. Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other streaming sites are quickly stealing the audience share once reserved for terrestrial TV broadcasters and both are now bringing regional TV to international audiences. Whereas a decade ago, La Casa De Papel (AKA Money Heist) would have been a hit in Spain, Netflix beamed it into an international blockbuster.
There is still a problem though. Streaming sites like Netflix and Amazon generally don’t feature all that much Canadian content. Therefore you’re gonna need more than just Netflix to get your CTV fix. One great option is CraveTV which is a streaming site specializing in Canadian content and RiverTV is Canada’s first on-demand, internet TV channel which includes a good number of hit and acclaimed Canadian TV shows.
However, even if you have Netflix, RiverTV, AND CraveTV there is a secondary problem. Some Canadian TV is only licensed for broadcast inside Canada and this means that it will only work for online internet users who are inside Canada. If you try to watch some shows online from India or England, then you will receive the dreaded notification telling you that the content is not available in your geo-location even if you have paid for a full-blown Crave or RiverTV subscription.
Virtual Privacy Networks
The good news is that the solution for this is simply to install a VPN onto your computer and then set your location to Canada. A VPN is a Virtual Private Network and it basically creates a virtual IP address that you can set to any location in the world including anywhere in Canada. VPN’s are great for protecting privacy, for committing cyber-crime, and now for watching TV abroad. VPNs are VERY easy to set up and use and are not particularly expensive either. There are some free ones out there but they generally limit your choice of geo-location and are prone to breaking down mid-use.
If you want the best VPN to watch TV from abroad, then you should budget around $10 – $15 per month for a decent one, but you can save a lot of money if you pay annually, upfront.
Choosing The Best Vpn to Watch TV From Abroad
There are a lot of VPN providers out there. Whilst the kind of do the same thing, they all have their own particular strengths and weaknesses. For example, I use SurfShark, and whilst it is a good budget VPN, the BBC iPlayer will not work when I am using it as the BBC server *knows* I am using a VPN. As such, Surf Shark is absolutely not the best VPN to watch TV from abroad.
Therefore, in order to make sure you can watch Canadian TV from abroad, do a bit of research before you buy and make sure you choose one that is highly rated specifically on how to watch TV from abroad.
