The survey does not break its results out by city, so it says nothing specific about Ottawa. It does describe the province this city sits in.
What the survey found
Across Canada, 67 per cent of tipped hospitality workers say their tips have declined over the past two years. That is up sharply from 39 per cent in 2024. The drop is more pronounced in Ontario, where 72 per cent of tipped workers reported making less in tips.
Actual CEO Afshin Mousavian calls the trend a "tipping recession." He also pointed to the other side of the counter: "Eighty per cent of diners are saying that they're going out less," according to CP24's report on the findings.
Why tips matter to the people receiving them
For many workers, tips are not a bonus. The survey found that 43 per cent of tipped workers nationally rely on tips to cover essentials like rent and groceries.
Tips also shape whether people stay in the industry. According to the report, 61 per cent of tipped workers say tip income has influenced their decision to stay in hospitality.
Faster access to tips
The report also asked about how and when workers get their tips. It found that 62 per cent of workers say faster access to tips, such as a same-day payout, would improve their financial situation. In Ontario, that figure rises to 69 per cent.
How the survey was done
Because the numbers are being widely shared, it helps to know what is behind them. The survey was conducted online by Angus Reid on behalf of Actual. It used a representative sample of 506 Canadian adults who currently work in the hospitality industry. It was fielded in August 2026.
The questions about tips rest on a smaller group. Those answers come from a subset of 250 respondents who receive tips as part of their compensation. The sources reviewed for this story do not say how many of those respondents were in Ontario, and they do not give a figure for Ottawa.
What it means locally
The sources do not report on Ottawa restaurants, bars or cafés, and they do not say how any local business has responded. What they do show is a province-wide pattern: more tipped workers say their take-home pay from tips has fallen, and fewer diners say they are going out. Workers who rely on tips for rent and groceries are the ones who feel that most directly.
If you are heading out for dinner in Ottawa, the report does not tell you what to leave or how much to tip. It does offer a picture of how many people in the industry say tips matter to their budgets, and how many say those tips have shrunk.
Sources: CP24, Actual press release via BNN Bloomberg
