New Research From the Direct Sellers Association of Canada Indicates 3 in 5 Canadians are Looking for a Side Hustle

Financial instability and work flexibility amongst some of the reasons why respondents are looking for income opportunities outside of their traditional employment

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 25, 2021) - Today, the Direct Sellers Association of Canada (DSA Canada) published research recently completed by Abacus Data, painting an intriguing picture of Canadian's interest in pursuing additional income opportunities, outside of traditional employment.

The survey found that 31% of Canadians pursued opportunities to make additional income over the COVID-19 pandemic. This significant portion of the population sought out these opportunities for reasons including being laid off and underemployed, or because they were re-evaluating their financial and personal aspirations.

Furthermore, as the economy recovers, 3 in 5 survey respondents intend to pursue opportunities to make additional money to support their income over the next 12 months. Major demographic groups in this figure include young Canadians of 18-29 years old at 75% and students at 83%.

"This research points to the fact that, whether by choice or necessity, Canadians see value in income opportunities that would not be considered part of a traditional employment arrangement", said Peter Maddox, President of DSA Canada. "This could include participating in the gig economy, becoming an independent representative for a sales-based company or creating their own, small start-up business."

"The economy is changing, and this has been intensified by the pandemic," continued Maddox. "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".

Further outcomes from the research include: data showing that a significant percentage of Canadians find it important for businesses to have a commitment to consumer protection and ethics; as well as measurable year-on-year growth in positive impressions of the direct selling channel.

An executive summary of this research can be viewed at here^[1].

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Since 1954, the Direct Sellers Association of Canada has established and upheld rigorous standards, ethics and good business practices, as the recognized voice of our industry. We are a family of competitors, using our combined strength to ensure fairness in regulations and to gain credibility and respect with Canadians. As an industry that connects 1.2 million Canadians to entrepreneurial opportunity and enrichment, we provide assurance of member company integrity and a foundation of trust for independent sales consultants (ISCs) and consumers.

The survey was conducted with 1,500 Canadian adults from July 9 to 14, 2021. The data were weighted according to census data to ensure that the sample matched Canada's population according to age, gender, educational attainment, and region.

Media Contact:Cathy Sampaio-Lepiane, Manager, Communications & Research647-281-0597cathy@dsa.ca^[2]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/94364^[3]

References

1. ^{^} here (www.newsfilecorp.com)
2. ^{^} cathy@dsa.ca (www.newsfilecorp.com)
3. ^{^} https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/94364 (www.newsfilecorp.com)