60% of Canadians picking up side hustles to supplement income: survey

TORONTO – More and more Canadians are needing to pick up a second job or a side hustle, new research indicates.

The Abacus Data poll for Direct Sellers Association of Canada (DSA) showed that 31 per cent of Canadians have pursued opportunities to make some extra money during the pandemic, be it picking up jobs in the gig economy or creating their own small start-up.

The DSA says these Canadians were likely looking for income after being laid off due to COVID-19.

But even as the economy recovers, three-in-five surveyed say they’ll still be hanging on to that second job, or looking for a supplementary source of income, for at least the next year.

“As a positive, many people, especially younger Canadians, are looking for flexibility and work-life balance as they earn, and this is being made possible by technology and market innovation. People are finding ways to participate in entrepreneurial activity, such as direct selling, in a manner that suits them,” said Peter Maddox, President of DSA Canada.

Most of the people saying they need the financial boost are younger Canadians between 18 and 29 years old (75 per cent) and students (83 per cent).

“If they’re students in particular, obviously they’re trying to supplement the money they have if they want to go out,” Maddox said. “They’re often looking for that work, the same with people 18 to 29, and what we find, a lot of people now, you don’t start a job when you’re 18 and work until you’re 65.

“Particularly younger people might work three or four different things that make up a full set of earnings for a week.”