Charging for UGC videos in Canada means a base rate per finished clip, built from the hours behind it, and separate fees for how the brand may use it: on its organic accounts only, in paid ads, for how long, and whether you may work with competitors. Job Bank lists employed social media content specialists at a $35.58 national median hourly wage, a floor for the time part of the price. Usage is where UGC pricing differs from regular video work. This guide suits creators who will write the usage terms down before they film.
How to start is in the UGC side hustle guide. Phone, light, and mic costs are in UGC startup costs. The first paid brief is in your first UGC client.
What do content and video roles earn per hour in Canada?
Employed social media content specialists in Canada earn a median of $35.58 an hour, according to Job Bank’s social media content specialist wage page (NOC 11202, reference period 2023–2024, updated November 19, 2025). Job Bank’s video editor page lists $20.00 (low), $34.62 (median), and $50.00 (high). Those are employee wages; a freelance rate should sit above them.
| Area (Job Bank, social media content specialist) | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $20.50 | $35.58 | $57.44 |
| Ontario | $20.00 | $37.02 | $58.97 |
| British Columbia | $21.00 | $33.65 | $53.44 |
| Alberta | $20.00 | $36.00 | $57.69 |
| Quebec | $22.00 | $34.13 | $52.00 |
This guide does not publish a national UGC rate. No public Canadian survey we could verify collects one, and a rate in a creator’s screenshot is not your invoice.
Which pricing models work for UGC in Canada?
UGC in Canada is usually sold as a base rate per video with usage add-ons, or as a bundle of videos for one product. Usage terms change the price more than the clip length does.
| Item | What it covers | Why it costs extra |
|---|---|---|
| Base rate | One edited video, one revision, organic use on the brand’s accounts for a set period | Your time and equipment |
| Paid-ad usage | Brand runs the clip as an ad | Ads reach far more people and replace a paid production |
| Longer usage period | Use beyond the base period | More value from the same clip |
| Exclusivity | You agree not to film for competitors for a period | You give up other work |
| Raw footage | Unedited clips for the brand’s editor | More material for more ads |
| Hooks and variations | Two or three alternate openings | Lets the brand test ads |
| Whitelisting | Ads run through your own account | Uses your name and audience |
How do you calculate a UGC video price in Canada?
Calculate a UGC price in Canada from your hourly rate times the hours per clip, then add percentage-based fees for each usage right the brand wants. Write the period beside every right.
Step 1: Time one clip
Reading the brief, scripting, filming, editing, captions, and one revision.
Step 2: Set the base rate
Hours × your hourly rate, plus a share of equipment. Include organic use for a set period, such as 3 months.
Step 3: Add usage fees as percentages of the base
Paid ads, longer periods, and exclusivity are often priced as a percentage of the base so they scale with the clip.
Step 4: Price variations and raw footage
Extra hooks take minutes once you are filming; raw footage takes minutes to export but gives the brand more material.
Step 5: Set aside tax and CPP, then round
Self-employed people pay both CPP shares; see CPP contributions.
Illustrative example
This is a teaching sketch with assumed numbers, not a quote, average, or survey. Suppose a 30-second product video takes 2.5 hours and your target is $45 an hour, between Job Bank’s median and high. Labour is 2.5 × $45 = $112.50. Add $10 as an equipment share: $122.50, rounded to a $125 base rate including 3 months of organic use.
The brand wants paid-ad usage for 3 months (an assumed 50% of base: $62.50), two extra hooks (an assumed $25 each: $50), and 3 months of category exclusivity (an assumed 30% of base: $37.50). The total is $125 + $62.50 + $50 + $37.50 = $275. These percentages are teaching assumptions you set yourself, not market figures.
What does a sample UGC rate card look like in Canada?
A UGC rate card in Canada lists the base rate and each add-on with its period. The table is an illustrative example built on the $125 base, not a market average.
| Item (illustrative) | Price |
|---|---|
| Base video (up to 30 s, 1 revision, 3 months organic) | $125 |
| Three-video bundle, same product | $340 |
| Paid-ad usage, 3 months | +50% of base ($62.50) |
| Extra 3 months of any usage | +25% of base ($31.25) |
| Exclusivity, 3 months, one category | +30% of base ($37.50) |
| Extra hook or opening | $25 each |
| Raw footage | +40% of base ($50) |
| Extra revision round | $25 |
Write “plus GST/HST” only once you are registered.
When should you raise UGC prices in Canada?
Raise UGC prices in Canada when brands rebook, when clips are running as ads, when your calendar is full, or when briefs take longer than you priced. Change the base rate for new briefs and keep current quotes as agreed.
A portfolio with clips that ran as ads supports a higher paid-usage fee. Ask brands whether a clip ran as an ad before you quote the next one.
What UGC pricing mistakes are common in Canada?
Common UGC pricing mistakes in Canada are giving unlimited usage for the base rate, agreeing to exclusivity without a fee, and scripting claims you cannot back up. The last one is a legal risk, not just a pricing one.
The Competition Bureau’s influencer guidance says reviews and testimonials should be based on actual experience, and its page on false or misleading representations covers performance claims. If you post a brand’s video on your own account, disclose the connection. Put usage, period, revisions, and payment date in a written agreement.
How do GST/HST and income tax affect UGC prices in Canada?
UGC income in Canada is self-employment income reported on Form T2125. Free products you keep can also have tax consequences; ask a tax professional. GST/HST registration is required once taxable supplies pass the $30,000 small-supplier threshold in a calendar quarter or over four consecutive quarters, across all your businesses.
A small ring light from Amazon.ca TODO-AFFILIATE is one optional purchase; daylight from a window works for many briefs. Track briefs and invoices in a spreadsheet or a tool such as FreshBooks TODO-AFFILIATE.
This is not tax, legal, or insurance advice.
Which guides sit next to UGC pricing in Canada?
UGC pricing in Canada sits beside TikTok and Reels pricing for clips you post for local businesses, social media manager pricing for ongoing account work, and graphic design pricing for static ad creative.
What are the common questions?
How much should I charge for a UGC video in Canada?
There is no official rate. Set a base rate from the hours per clip at or above Job Bank's content specialist median of $35.58 an hour, include organic use for a set period, and add separate fees for paid ads, longer usage, exclusivity, and raw footage.
Should UGC paid-ad usage cost extra?
Many creators charge extra, because ads reach far more people and replace a paid production for the brand. Price it as a fee on top of the base rate and write the usage period down.
What is UGC exclusivity?
Exclusivity means you agree not to make content for competing brands for a set period. Because it stops you taking other work, it is usually priced as an add-on with a clear category and end date.
Can I say a product worked if I have not used it?
The Competition Bureau says reviews and testimonials should be based on actual experience, and false or misleading claims are prohibited. Only describe results you actually had. This is not legal advice.
Do UGC creators charge GST/HST in Canada?
Only once registered. Registration is required after more than $30,000 of taxable supplies in a calendar quarter or over four consecutive quarters, across all your businesses. This is not tax advice.
Which sources support this guide?
The rules, rates, and platform requirements in this guide are checked against these primary sources. Retail price ranges are labelled as ranges to verify locally, and they are not quotes.
- Social Media Content Specialist in Canada: Wages — Government of Canada, Job Bank
- Video Editor in Canada: Wages — Government of Canada, Job Bank
- Influencer marketing and the Competition Act — Competition Bureau Canada
- False or misleading representations — Competition Bureau Canada
- When to register for and start charging the GST/HST — Canada Revenue Agency
- Form T2125, Statement of Business or Professional Activities — Canada Revenue Agency
- Contributions to the Canada Pension Plan — Government of Canada