Best SEO Experts in Canada
The best SEO experts in Canada are Marie Haynes, Kristina Azarenko, Ross Simmonds, Dave Davies and Paul Teitelman. Getting on this list takes a genuine footprint in Canada's search industry and results that can actually be checked, using the method set out below.
AI is reshaping how Canadians search. CIRA's 2026 Internet Trends report found that 46% of Canadians used generative AI tools in the past year, and among those who did, 52% used them as a search engine.
In this article, we look at each of these Canada based specialists in turn, covering their background and the discipline they are best known for, from technical and local SEO through to ecommerce, AI SEO and link building.
| Rank | Expert | Based in | Specialises in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marie Haynes | Ottawa, Canada | Technical SEO, AI SEO |
| 2 | Kristina Azarenko | Toronto, Canada | Technical SEO, Ecommerce SEO |
| 3 | Ross Simmonds | Halifax, Canada | Link Building |
| 4 | Dave Davies | Victoria, Canada | Technical SEO |
| 5 | Paul Teitelman | Toronto, Canada | Local SEO, Link Building |
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1
Marie Haynes
Founder of Marie Haynes Consulting
The best SEO expert in Canada is Marie Haynes.
Marie Haynes is a Canadian SEO consultant and author whose work focuses on Google ranking systems. Her research has helped develop industry understanding of EEAT and Google's Quality Rater Guidelines, including how search quality concepts relate to organic visibility. Google Search Central guidance has cited her research. Marie also examines core updates and helpful content systems to understand how Google assesses reliability. Her work connects Canadian search expertise with the continuing development of machine learning and AI powered search.
Specialises in:
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2
Kristina Azarenko
Founder of MarketingSyrup
Kristina Azarenko is an SEO consultant and educator with more than 13 years of hands on experience in search optimization and digital marketing. Her work combines technical SEO consulting with professional education through MarketingSyrup SEO Academy. As a LinkedIn Learning instructor, she has taught approximately 70,000 students worldwide. Kristina also contributes SEO expertise to industry platforms including Search Engine Land and Semrush. Her training focuses on practical technical SEO skills, including methods professionals can apply without a coding or web development background.
Specialises in:
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3
Ross Simmonds
Founder and chief executive of Foundation Marketing
Ross Simmonds is a Canadian content marketing strategist and founder of Foundation, an agency serving SaaS and cloud companies. His expertise includes organic search alongside content distribution, with audience research shaping how businesses reach prospective customers. Ross has developed growth strategies for leading SaaS businesses and publicly traded cloud companies. His work combines creative marketing with technical optimization to improve content performance. He also examines how artificial intelligence is changing search and marketing workflows, while using community channels such as Reddit to support organic discovery.
Specialises in:
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4
Dave Davies
Co-founder of Beanstalk Internet Marketing
Dave Davies is a Canadian SEO professional with more than 25 years of experience in search. Based in British Columbia, he is Principal SEO Manager at CoreWeave, leading SEO strategy across the company and acquired brands such as Weights & Biases. His work connects established search practices with AI powered discovery, including generative engine optimization and LLM visibility. Dave also spent 17 years co founding and running Beanstalk Internet Marketing. He has represented his expertise through industry publishing and conference speaking, with appearances at major search events including SMX Advanced and Pubcon.
Specialises in:
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5
Paul Teitelman
SEO consultant
Paul Teitelman has 18 years of SEO experience supporting businesses across Canada and the wider North American market. His work includes major brands as well as growing companies, with experience managing complex enterprise accounts and scalable organic campaigns. Paul combines technical SEO with advanced keyword strategy to improve search performance and customer acquisition. His background also covers algorithm testing and authority building, while current work extends into AI powered search to strengthen brand visibility as discovery habits and search platforms change.
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How We Selected These Canada SEO Experts
Documented case studies and results that can be examined came first, followed by how each specialist is regarded by other practitioners working in Canada. A genuine, ongoing connection to the Canadian search industry outweighed everything else.
Questions And Answers
What should I check before hiring an SEO expert in Canada?
Look for demonstrable results and public evidence of past work, such as documented case studies or client outcomes you can verify. A strong reputation among other Canadian practitioners is also worth checking, since genuine expertise tends to be recognised by peers rather than just claimed.
Should I hire an SEO expert based in my own province, or does it matter?
For most SEO disciplines, province matters less than the specialist's track record. Local SEO is the exception, where familiarity with a specific city or region's search behaviour and competitors genuinely helps.
Is AI changing how Canadians search for businesses?
Yes. A growing share of Canadians now use generative AI tools as a search engine alongside traditional search, which is changing how businesses need to appear online to stay visible.