The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word TENTAGE
T
E
N
T
A
G
E
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "A lot of canvas" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case a lot of canvas = tentage.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does TENTAGE mean?
TENTAGE noun- Accommodation in the form of a tent