Google releases Canada’s top searches of 2022

From serious news stories to fun diversions, Canadians have done a lot of Google searches this year.

The internet search engine released its list of the most viral web searches in Canada for 2022.

Here are the Top Search Trends this year: 

1. Wordle
2. Ukraine
3. World Cup
4. Queen Elizabeth
5. Betty White
6. Bob Saget
7. Anne Heche
8. Canuckle
9. Johnny Depp
10. Will Smith

“Over the last couple of years, Canadians were facing a lot of uncertainty. This year was all about supporting each other and embracing the new normals,” said Google trends expert Habiq Ali.

“Wordle was the number one top trending search term in Canada. But it was also the number one top trending search term around the world, so this web-based word game has really taken the world by storm.”

Top Canadian News Search Trends:

1. Ukraine
2. Rogers outage
3. Monkeypox
4. Lisa LaFlamme
5. CNE
6. U.S. Midterm Elections
7. Saskatchewan stabbings
8. World Cup 2022
9. Oscars 2022
10. Freedom Convoy 2022

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Canadians weren’t just Googling games and current news events, they were also asking ‘Why?’

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Why…

1. Why is Russia attacking Ukraine?
2. Why is Rogers down?
3. Why did Will slap Chris?
4. Why is Ukraine not in NATO?
5. Why is there a formula shortage?
6. Why is gas so expensive right now?
7. Why are truckers protesting?
8. Why is there a Tylenol shortage?
9. Why is cryptocurrency going down?
10. Why did Liz Truss resign?

Another question they asked was ‘how:’

How to…

1. How to watch the World Cup
2. How to do a rapid COVID test?
3. How to help Ukraine?
4. How to get a vaccine QR code?
5. How to create an NFT?
6. How to pronounce Kyiv?
7. How to evolve Charcadet?
8. How to “respec” in Elden Ring?
9. How to evolve Cosmog in Pokémon Go?
10. How to pronounce Qatar?

Canadians were also heavily plugged into pop culture and entertainment. From the infamous Will Smith Oscars slap to the Johnny Depp defamation trial, here were the top celebrities, movies and shows of the year:

Top Celebrities

1. Johnny Depp
2. Will Smith
3. Amber Heard
4. Chris Rock
5. Adam Levine
6. King Charles
7. Jada Pinkett Smith
8. Julia Fox
9. Bruce Willis
10. Mary J. Blige

Top Movies

1. Encanto
2. Top Gun
3. The Batman
4. Thor: Love and Thunder
5. Turning Red
6. Black Adam
7. Everything Everywhere All at Once
8. Morbius
9. Uncharted
10. Don’t Worry Darling

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Top TV Series

1. Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
2. Euphoria
3. Stranger Things
4. Inventing Anna
5. The Watcher
6. House of the Dragon
7. Moon Knight
8. Yellowstone
9. The Boys
10. The Summer I Turned Pretty

It was also a very busy year for sports fans with the Winter Olympics and the FIFA World Cup.

Top Sports Searches

1. World Cup
2. Olympic medal count
3. Calgary Flames
4. Olympics
5. CFL scores
6. T20 World Cup 2022
7. Asia Cup 2022
8. Canada Soccer
9. Golden State Warriors
10. Indian Wells tennis

Top Athletes

1. Guy Lafleur
2. Novak Djokovic
3. Antonio Brown
4. Serena Williams
5. Eileen Gu
6. Kamila Valieva
7. Felix Auger Aliassime
8. Mitchell Miller
9. Johnny Gaudreau
10. Kirby Dach

“It’s a really interesting way for us to look back at the year and see what inspired us and what intrigued us,” Ali told Global News.

“From a social perspective and from a political perspective, it kind of just shows us what’s top of mind for Canadians this year.”