Dating Diaries: Dating Dealbreakers
In today’s fast-paced and uncertain world, love faces new challenges. eharmony’s latest Dating Diaries reveal how singles across generations are navigating romance amid their tight budgets, long distances and more. Discover what truly drives modern dating choices—and how real connection still wins hearts across any divide. eharmony and our relationship experts are here to uncover all the dating and relationship trends Canadian singles are experiencing in 2025.
Table of Contents
Dating Choices Driven by Convenience
In today’s connected world, we’re all used to convenience – whether it’s swiping up on an Instagram story from your crush or a quick click on ‘add to cart’ – we’ve all grown accustomed to the instant gratification modern technology offers.
New eharmony Dating Diaries data shows this desire for instant gratification and convenience is impacting the Canadian dating scene, with nine-in-ten (91%) Canadian single daters considering convenience in dating. More than half consider physical convenience (53%), such as not having to travel far (53%), and cost convenience, not having to pay too much out of pocket (46%), when considering dating.
The majority (93%) of Canadian single daters feel this desire for convenience and instant gratification has impacted the dating scene, including half (51%) who feel this is making people less willing to put in the effort to date with 39% saying convenience is making people become flakier with dating plans.
Defining Success: Future Potential vs. Present Payoff
In an age of endless swipes and failed talking stages, the hardest part of dating isn’t access – it’s alchemy. Despite all the platforms and possibilities, one of the top barriers for Canadian singles, according to new eharmony Dating Diaries data, isn’t fear of rejection (only 30%), distance (38%), or even ghosting. It’s something deeper: 63% say “not having a connection” is the hardest part of dating.
Layered with how Canadians define a “successful” date, you get a pretty nuanced romantic landscape: 52% say a date is successful if it shows signs of long-term compatibility, while 46% say it’s a win if it leads to a second date. However, 39% say “as long as I had a good time, I don’t care”. That’s nearly two in five who are defining success in more immediate, present tense terms. This split reflects a kind of emotional hedging – people want something real, but they’ve learned not to count on it. When that long-term connection doesn’t show up, at least a good laugh or moment of fun keeps the date from feeling like a waste.
Compare that with what they’re not prioritizing: “It made me feel more confident” (33%), “I experienced something new” (28%)”, “I learned something about myself” (19%)”, this shows that Canadian singles are dating with a purpose: connection or bust. They’re not looking to “grow” through dating, they’re looking to click, and when that doesn’t happen, they re-calibrate toward the immediate payoff.
TLDR; Canadians aren’t looking for more dates, they’re looking for fewer wasted ones.
Relocating for Love
Despite today’s digital world allowing us to connect to (almost) anyone globally in just seconds, Canadian singles are prioritizing in-person relationships and are even willing to sacrifice personal goals and relocate for love.
New eharmony Dating Diaries data shows finding love is a top priority for Canadian singles, with nearly all respondents (96%) considering finding love as being important. Canadian singles (81%) are willing to make circumstantial life changes to find love too, including living in their dream location (35%) and being physically close to family and/or friends (35%).
This also includes moving, with three-quarters (73%) of Canadian singles saying they would relocate to find love. Almost half (47%) would relocate within their current province, a third (32%) would be willing to move to a different province within Canada, and one-in-seven would either be willing to go to another country close to Canada (14%) or anywhere else in the world (14%).
Methodology
Dating Diaries: Dating Dealbreakers report was commissioned by eharmony and conducted by 3Gem. It was fielded online between March 20th and March 27th, 2025, and surveyed 500 participants. Participants qualified if they were aged 18-64 and were open to dating. Results were weighted to be nationally representative.
