Promoting franchising in Canada and across the world with Franchise Awareness Month and World Franchise Day
June is a big month for the Canadian franchising industry. Not only is it Franchise Awareness Month, as of 2025, a new international initiative is taking this awareness and appreciation to the next level.
On Wednesday, June 11, 2025, World Franchise Day (WFD) made its global debut as a day to celebrate franchising and the impact it’s had on local economies and communities—around the world! Franchise associations, suppliers, franchisors, and franchisees gathered across six continents and 65 countries to promote the business model and the opportunities it offers. On social media the festivities generated more than 2,200 posts, 27,000 likes, and 22 million impressions, spreading awareness about the franchise industry on a groundbreaking scale.
What is World Franchise Day?
World Franchise Day was established by the World Franchise Council (WFC), a non-political association made up of more than 40 national franchise associations from around the world, including the Canadian Franchise Association (CFA). Not only is the CFA a founding member of the WFC, but it worked closely with the WFC in developing and promoting World Franchise Day.
The concept of a single day to globally celebrate franchising was first thought of by the CFA’s own president and CEO, Sherry McNeil, CFE. By uniting industry voices across the world, the franchising community could educate the general public, media, and government about the franchise business model, how it works, and how it positively impacts local communities. It could also serve as a celebration for all of those involved in the industry, a way to shoutout the local small business owners who are living and working in their communities, contributing to local economies by creating jobs and providing goods and services for their neighbours.
It was decided that this day, World Franchise Day, would be celebrated annually on the second Wednesday in June, starting on June 11th, 2025.
The inaugural World Franchise Day flooded social media with messages on the value of franchising and showcased the diverse stories of franchisees who were able to use this model to go into business for themselves (but not by themselves) with the support of a proven system. Government officials visited local franchises, associations around the world spread knowledge about the benefits of franchised business ownership, and festivities brought the community together.
The CFA hosted a World Franchise Day celebration at their office in Mississauga, Ontario, inviting their members to hear from government officials and industry leaders, participate in breakout discussions and networking opportunities, and welcome WFD with a cake cutting.
Celebrating all month long
Both before and after the day itself, the CFA continues its work helping everyday Canadians realize the dream of building their own business through the power of franchising. June is also Franchise Awareness Month, an annual, month-long campaign where the CFA emphasizes the community and economic contributions made by local franchisees. Each year, the Association highlights member franchisees, shares success stories, celebrates philanthropy, and shares educational content with the public.
Franchising is unique in the way its model allows entrepreneurs the opportunity to open their own business with the backing of a proven system and a supportive franchisor. The franchise industry is the 12th largest sector in Canada and contributes almost $150 billion annually to the national economy. Moreover, the impacts of this business model go back into the local communities where franchisees are rooted and where they create jobs and give back with philanthropic work. These attributes deserve to be celebrated.
How can I get involved?
Join the CFA in celebrating and promoting the franchise business model. The next World Franchise Day will take place on Wednesday, June 10th, 2026. Before the big day, follow the CFA on social media and subscribe to our Franchise Canada E-News, if you haven’t already, to stay up to date on relevant news, information, and stories about the franchising industry.
Support the franchise owners in your community and across Canada; share the CFA’s social media posts and editorial content with your network and help us highlight the small local business owners who are part of the CFA community. You’ll see much of this content during Franchise Awareness Month in June, but it’ll be present year-round as well.
On World Franchise Day join the rest of the world in celebrating. Visit local franchises, post about franchising with the hashtag #WorldFranchiseDay, engage with content you see to amplify our messaging, and share with others all you’ve learned about World Franchise Day, Franchise Awareness Month, and the industry as a whole.
By uniting the franchise industry, we can continue to grow. We’re stronger together!