The State of Independent Optical in Canada
An original-research report on the economics, operations, and outlook of Canada’s independent optical practices. Built on Peaks’ own anonymized order data and a national survey of independent owners.
2026 EDITION  · Publishing Q2 2026. Pre-register below.
What the report covers
Six sections of original Canadian data, methodology footnoted, downloadable as a 60+ page PDF and a designed microsite.
- Independent optical revenue benchmarks — by province, by store size, with confidence intervals.
- Frame inventory turn rates, deadstock percentages, and category mix across the Peaks customer base.
- Direct-billing friction index across Sun Life, Manulife, Canada Life, Green Shield, Pacific Blue Cross.
- Wholesale order patterns — what styles, materials, and price tiers actually move at $29 trade pricing.
- The independent vs. chain landscape — FYi, Hakim, Costco, EssilorLuxottica market share by region.
- Outlook for 2026–2027 — sustainability, AI virtual try-on, myopia management, private label.
Why we publish this
No Canadian wholesale distributor publishes original industry data. US sources don’t reflect Canadian regulatory, insurance, or competitive realities. The Pulse Report is Peaks’ contribution to a category that needs reliable benchmarks — built from the data we already hold as a wholesaler serving practices coast-to-coast.
Methodology
The 2026 report draws on (a) Peaks’ anonymized order data from 2024–2025, (b) a 200-respondent online survey of independent optical owners and managers across Canada fielded in Q1 2026, and (c) public data from Statistics Canada, IBISWorld, Health Canada, and provincial regulatory colleges. Full methodology is published alongside the report.
Pre-register for the 2026 edition
Approved trade accounts receive the full report free on release. Independent owners without a trade account can pre-register by applying.
Apply for a trade account
