What Narrative Research does

Narrative Research is a full-service market intelligence and market research firm headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, operating continuously since 1978 (originally as Corporate Research Associates, rebranded in April 2019). The firm is positioned as the largest market research company in Atlantic Canada and one of Canada's foremost full-service research houses, with 32 employees distributed across offices in Halifax (headquarters), St. John's (Newfoundland and Labrador), and Bermuda.

The firm's offering is built around two layers. The first is a custom research practice spanning quantitative (telephone and online surveys, panel management) and qualitative (in-person and online focus groups, in-depth interviews, bulletin boards, engagement sessions) methodologies, with each project led by a senior market research consultant and supported by what the firm describes as one of the largest contingents of Certified Analytics and Insights Professionals (CAIPs) in Canada. The second is a portfolio of proprietary syndicated data products: the Atlantic Quarterly (a regional economic, political, and social tracking survey running since 1988), the Atlantic Reputation Monitor (tracking reputations of 75+ organizations across Atlantic Canada), the East Coast Voice online panel (described as Atlantic Canada's largest), and the Bermuda Omnibus (offered in partnership with Total Marketing & Communications).

Revenue is generated on a project-based, contact-quoted professional services model across three primary segments: federal, provincial, and municipal government; private-sector enterprises in telecommunications, utilities, energy, financial services, tourism, and gaming; and non-profit organizations. Distribution is sales-led via direct engagement and senior-consultant-led RFP responses, supplemented by content marketing (website news/blog) and a focus-group facility rental business at the Halifax headquarters. Named long-tenured clients include Nova Scotia Power (20+ years), Econoler (8 years), NB Power, Acadia Broadcasting, and WorkSafeNB, and the firm holds CRIC Accredited Agency status, ISO 20252 compliance, WBE Canada certification, and Atlantic Immigration Pilot designated employer status. The firm is 100% Canadian-owned and privately held, with no disclosed funding, parent company, or M&A activity.

Name

Narrative Research

Legal name

Narrative Research Inc.

Website

https://narrativeresearch.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Narrative Research is a 45-year-old, privately held, Atlantic Canada-based full-service market research firm offering custom qualitative and quantitative research alongside syndicated products (Atlantic Quarterly, Atlantic Reputation Monitor, East Coast Voice panel, Bermuda Omnibus) to government, utilities, energy, and corporate clients across Canada and Bermuda.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Market Research Services

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Industry & Sector Research (Syndicated/Custom) (BPAHALAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Qualitative Research (Focus Groups, IDIs, Ethnography) (MPAAALAE)

Keywords

• Market research services
• Public opinion research
• Syndicated survey research
• Qualitative research studies
• Customer satisfaction research

Headquarters

HQ city

Halifax

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Market Research and Consulting Services: Full-spectrum qualitative and quantitative research services provided to public, private and non-profit sector clients. Projects are led by senior market research consultants with each engagement customized to client needs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Narrative Research is a full-service market research and market intelligence company that provides custom qualitative and quantitative research services to public, private, and non-profit sector clients across Canada and Bermuda. Its offerings include a portfolio of syndicated research products (Atlantic Quarterly, Atlantic Reputation Monitor, Bermuda Omnibus, East Coast Voice online panel) and custom research engagements led by senior consultants using methodologies such as large-scale telephone and online surveys, focus groups, in-depth interviews, bulletin boards, and engagement sessions, with advanced analytics and interactive reporting.

Product overview

Narrative Research is a full-service market research company offering a portfolio of syndicated research products and custom research services. The core product suite includes: Atlantic Quarterly® (established 1988), providing in-depth Atlantic-region trending data on economic, political and social issues; Atlantic Reputation Monitor, tracking organizational reputations across the region; The Bermuda Omnibus, a quarterly omnibus service for the Bermuda market; and East Coast Voice, the largest online panel in Atlantic Canada. These data products are complemented by custom qualitative and quantitative research methodologies including online studies, telephone research, in-person and online focus groups, in-depth interviews, and panel management services. The company serves sectors including telecommunications, financial services, healthcare, utilities, energy, tourism, gaming and lottery, and public policy development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Atlantic Quarterly: Established in 1988, the Atlantic Quarterly provides unparalleled in-depth Atlantic-region trending data plus the ability to cost-effectively commission questions.
• Atlantic Reputation Monitor
• The Bermuda Omnibus
• East Coast Voice

Products and services

• Atlantic Quarterly® Quarterly syndicated survey established in 1988 that provides in-depth Atlantic-region trending data on economic, political, and social issues affecting Atlantic Canadians. Subscribers gain access to exclusive data and may commission questions at a reduced rate, designed for government, corporate, and non-profit buyers needing longitudinal regional trend tracking.
• Atlantic Reputation Monitor Syndicated reputation research study tracking Atlantic Canadians' opinions of organizations across the region, with tracking data on over 75 organizations to allow comparison of reputations across industry and province.
• The Bermuda Omnibus Quarterly omnibus service offered in partnership with Total Marketing & Communications to track the economic, political, and social issues of Bermuda. Clients access proprietary commissioned questions, providing syndicated tracking for the Bermuda market.
• East Coast Voice Atlantic Canada's largest online panel, including a representative sample of residents across geographies and demographics. Engaged members participate in surveys with prize draws and can be recruited for focus groups with incentives, serving as a panel asset used internally and offered externally for survey participation and qualitative recruitment.
• Custom Market Research Services Full-spectrum custom qualitative and quantitative market research services for public, private, and non-profit sector clients. Services span large-scale telephone and online surveys, in-person and online focus groups, in-depth interviews, bulletin boards, intercept studies, panel management, and engagement sessions, with each project led by a senior market research consultant and tailored to the client's methodology and decision needs.
• Focus Group Facility Rentals Spacious focus group facility in Halifax available for booking by external clients with digital operation and advanced viewing options, supporting both Narrative Research projects and external client research initiatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20+ years of client relationships with organizations like Nova Scotia Power
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Total Marketing & Communications (Bermuda)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Total Marketing & Communications in Bermuda to offer The Bermuda Omnibus, a quarterly omnibus service to track economic, political and social issues in the Bermuda market. Allows clients access to proprietary commissioned questions.
• Logit GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Logit Group for national survey data collection. Conducts large-scale online surveys for Canadians, with data weighted based on 2021 Census. The Logit Group is a leading North American data collection and market research execution company headquartered in Toronto.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Abacus Data: Canadian public-affairs, consumer, and corporate research firm with national online panel capabilities. Comparable in size, methodology mix, and B2B public-sector focus.
• EKOS Research Associates: Canadian research and public-affairs firm with a strong focus on public opinion, policy research, and government clients — a strong analog for Narrative Research's public-sector work.
• Forum Research: Toronto-based polling and market research firm focused on public opinion, political, and consumer research in Canada — overlapping methodology and customer segments with Narrative Research.
• Maru/Blue: Canadian online panel and research services firm serving enterprise clients with custom and omnibus research. Comparable in online panel operations and enterprise survey delivery.
• Angus Reid Group: Canadian research firm built around the Angus Reid Forum online panel, offering syndicated tracking and custom research to enterprise and government clients. Direct comparator on panel-based syndicated products.
• Leger: Largest Canadian-owned market research firm, offering a similar full-service portfolio (custom research, syndicated trackers, panels) to public, private, and non-profit clients. The most direct national comparable in service mix and go-to-market model.
• The Logit Group: Toronto-based data collection and market research execution firm already partnered with Narrative Research for national surveys. Comparable in survey operations, sample management, and Canadian B2B client base.
• Nanos Research: Ottawa-based research and polling firm with syndicated political and consumer tracking plus custom client work. Closely comparable in survey methodology, public-affairs emphasis, and Atlantic Canada exposure.
• Environics Research: Toronto-based full-service research firm with strong public-affairs and consumer research practices serving government, utilities, and corporate clients — closely mirrors Narrative Research's service lines and customer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Ipsos: Global market research leader with substantial Canadian operations covering consumer, public affairs, and corporate research. Competes for the same national and government clients but at much larger scale and broader scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EveryNarrative
• Facebookfacebook.com/EveryNarrative
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/narrativeresearch
• Instagraminstagram.com/everynarrative

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Narrative Research