Issue 18 – AUGUST 2025

Our Business Intelligence Bulletin brings you links to research studies, industry statistics, trends, policy development, and other resources of interest to Ontario’s creative industries.

RECENT REPORTS FUNDED BY ONTARIO CREATES

Pathways to International Markets: A Strategy to Increase Export Capacity for Indigenous Music

This report by the Indigenous Music Alliance outlines an indigenous music export strategy. Export development is crucial for professional artists and research found that the majority of Indigenous artists are not yet accessing international markets, even as demand has increased. International markets provide artists with key opportunities for growth and development including key revenue streams. The result is a scan of the current state of exporting Canadian indigenous music including trend and challenges, as well as an export strategy with four key elements to help increase the capacity of indigenous artists and music entrepreneurs.

Hyperlocal Ontario

This study from the Kingston Economic Development Corporation examines a case study which focused on a hyperlocal film production completed in a community more than 150 km away from a major urban film production hub. The study looked at Victoria, British Columbia as a community which has been able to grow its local film and television industry. The result is a framework and a set of key factors designed to help smaller Ontario cities outside of the Greater Toronto Area, establish their own film and television production hubs. This framework was tested through two Kingston-based film productions as a proof of concept.

Southwestern Ontario: Ready for Action
Southwestern Ontario: Ready for Action! is a report by the Southwestern Ontario Film Alliance (SOFA) that examines the film and television industry in Southwestern Ontario. It specifically explores the successful strategies employed by various municipalities to grow their local film and television sectors. The report includes insights from case studies conducted in London, Cambridge, Kitchener, Brantford, Elgin County, and Stratford. Recommendations include demonstrating the benefits of establishing a local or regional film office, showcasing local filming locations, and forming relationships with industry associations to address labor and education gaps amongst others.

That’s My Jam: Understanding the Value of Game Jams

That’s My Jam is a white paper by the Game Arts International Network (GAIN) that explores what game jams are, why people attend them, and how they benefit game makers with diverse creative and professional aspirations. The findings include insights of game jam attendees, how jams have been used for professional development, outcomes of projects worked on during the jams and how they have been implemented by game studios to help employees learn new tools or techniques.

Navigating Borders: An Analysis of Canada-Italy Film Co-Productions

This report from the Italian Contemporary Film Festival examines how to evaluate and foster greater co-productions between Canada and Italy through examining the current policies on co-productions in each territory, highlighting the obstacles, and looking at ways to increase joint ventures between the two nations. The findings include viewpoints from Canadian and Italian producers, suggestions to further co-production relationships, as well as strategies and best practices when producing a co-production.

Filmmaking Outside the Box: Disconnection and Disruption in Rural Ontario

This report from the South Georgian Bay Media Association examines film and television productions that have moved away from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) as creatives relocate from Toronto to rural Ontario. Specifically, the study focuses on productions that are disconnected from the GTA film industry and the impact this phenomenon has on the creative, technical, and financial methodologies and processes of screen production. The findings include a list of non-traditional production models and techniques, as well as perspectives on filming in regional Ontario.

ONTARIO CREATES RESEARCH

Ontario Creates will be undertaking a client satisfaction survey in the early fall, stay tuned for an opportunity to provide feedback on how Ontario Creates programs and services are serving your company.

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DATA RELEASES

In June 2025, Statistics Canada released the most recent Provincial and Territorial Indicators, providing key economic information about the output, gross domestic product and jobs for Canada’s culture sector. This release focuses on the product perspective, which describes the economic impact of the production of cultural goods and services in both culture and non-culture industries.
Some key statistics from this release include:

In 2023, Ontario’s creative industries contributed over $3.7 billion to Ontario’s GDP, and accounted for 44,969 jobs.
Culture (including sectors not supported via Ontario Creates) contributed $27 billion to the Province’s economy in 2023, accounting for 2.7% of the total provincial economy, which is the highest level among all provinces and territories.

You can find more information here: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/250602/dq250602a-eng.htm

CREATIVE INDUSTRIES POLICY AND FUNDING

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission continues to implement the modernized broadcasting framework through a variety of consultations, public hearings and the commissioning of third-party research. Some proceedings of interest may include:

The recently concluded public hearings on Canadian content for TV and online streaming services and market dynamics. Transcripts for both hearings are available here.
The upcoming hearing on supporting Canadian and Indigenous audio content, which has been scheduled to begin on September 18, 2025.

The CRTC also has the following activities on the calendar for late 2025:

Commissioning a third-party study on discoverability to examine how Canadians find and discover content on traditional and online platforms to inform its proceedings on tailored conditions of services.
A consultation on tailored conditions of service that will finalize individual contributions and requirements for traditional and online platforms.
A series of consultations to look at how the broadcasting system can better reflect the experiences of all people in Canada and foster access to diverse voices and perspectives.

You can follow along with the CRTC’s schedule here: https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/industr/modern/plan.htm#_A_sustainable_broadcasting

OTHER NEWS & UPDATES

In March 2025, Ontario Creates partnered with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, OCAD University, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, and the City of Toronto on a policy brief titled “Ontario’s Arts, Culture, and Creative Industries: Strengthening Competitiveness and Communities”. The brief highlights Ontario’s culture sector as a critical driver of economic growth, competitiveness and community cohesion, and offers recommendations to support long-term growth.
You can view the report here: https://occ.ca/mediareleases/ontarios-culture-sector-an-economic-powerhouse-in-need-of-bold-action/