Issue 13 - DECEMBER 2022

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

Program Announcements

The Business Intelligence Program is closed for the 2022/23 year.
Applications will be accepted again starting in Spring 2023.

Events and Podcasts

Thanks to everyone who joined us for our in-person Ontario Creates Creative Industries in Conversation event: Understanding the New World of Web 3: NFTs, Blockchain and Crypto.

Please note that our upcoming January session will be held virtually. All sessions will be made available on our website as podcast episodes.

Session 3: January 26, 2023 (virtual)
Short-Form, Big Impact: Getting a Handle on TikTok
REGISTRATION INFO COMING SOON

Podcast episodes of all our previous sessions are available on our website.

View All Podcasts

Recent Reports funded by Ontario Creates

Being Heard: Black Canadians in the Canadian Screen Industries

This report from the Black Screen Office looks at the experiences of Black producers, writers, directors, and tech/crew working in Canada’s screen-based industries, and offers evidence-based data on Black participation, training, challenges, successful supports, progress and overall interest to work in the sector.

Being Seen: Directives for Creating Authentic and Inclusive Content

This report by the Black Screen Office provides directives for those in the film, television and interactive digital media industries on how to commission and create authentic content, as part of a shift to allow all Canadians to see themselves reflected on screens, and to provide equitable access for Canadians of all backgrounds and identities to create content.

An International Review of Financing For Video Game Companies

This report from Interactive Ontario aims to review and describe the financing ecosystems that support interactive digital media companies in other national jurisdictions, then extract lessons that can be learned and potential innovations that could be applied or considered for the Canadian context.

Building the Indigenous Music Industry and Developing an Indigenous Music Office

This report by the Indigenous Music Alliance aims to identify barriers and challenges faced by Indigenous musicians in Canada, plan a governance structure and mandate for a future National Indigenous Music Office, and identify best practices in the areas of song writing, production and music publishing with a view to publishing formal protocols.

Closing the Gap: Impact & Representation of Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour Live Music Workers in Canada

This report by the Canadian Live Music Association aims to help close the gap in knowledge on race-based inequality in the Canadian live music sector by giving evidence of inequalities experienced by Black, Indigenous and people of colour live music workers, then providing actionable policy recommendations to support sector-wide improvement.

Action Plan and Framework: Advancing Gender Balance in the Canadian Music Industry

This report by Women in Music Canada was developed to create an action plan framework to address the underrepresentation of women-identifying, non-binary, gender fluid and gender diverse people in Ontario’s music sector, to provide stakeholders with a roadmap to support a healthier industry and address key barriers related to gender inequality.

The Digital Media Universe: Measuring the Revenues, Audiences and the Future Prospects

This report was prepared as part of the 2022 edition of the annual Digital Media at the Crossroads (DM@X) conference. It summarizes data on key trends in six creative sectors: film/tv, video games, music, books, newspapers and magazines, including analysis of the impacts of COVID-19 on the Canadian creative ecosystem and state of equity, diversity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

ONLINE RESEARCH LIBRARY

Our Online Research Library is updated frequently with reports and studies of interest to stakeholders in Ontario’s creative industries.
Recently added studies include:

The Canadian Video Game Industry - 2021
By: Nordicity for the Entertainment Software Association of Canada

RECENTLY UPDATED INDUSTRY PROFILES

DATA RELEASES

Statistics Canada has released its 2020 Provincial Territorial Cultural Indicators. This release includes key information on both GDP, output and jobs. It reflects the significant negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on both GDP and jobs in nearly all of the sectors supported by Ontario Creates. You can access the data here.

Statistics Canada has also released a new interactive data visualization tool based on data collected through the Culture Satellite Account. The tool is called The Arts and Culture Data Viewer, and helps users easily break down arts and culture economic data by geographic area, and also includes data on participation in cultural activities by the demographic characteristics of participants.

Ontario Creates has released its 2021 Ontario's Film & Television Production Statistics. In 2021, Ontario’s film & television industry generated a record-breaking $2.88 billion for Ontario’s economy. The sector also generated more than 48,000 high value jobs for Ontarians.

CREATIVE INDUSTRIES POLICY AND FUNDING

The federal government has announced two major pieces of legislation impacting the creative industries: the Online Streaming Act, and the Online News Act. The Online Streaming Act is an effort to modernize the Broadcasting Act to ensure that online streaming services contribute to the creation and availability of Canadian stories and music. The Online News Act aims to require tech companies to make fair commercial deals with news outlets for the news and information being shared on their platforms. Both the Online News Act and the Online Streaming Act have made their way to the Senate for review.

CBC/Radio-Canada’s broadcasting licenses renewal decision has been referred back to the CRTC for reconsideration. The CRTC imposed several new regulatory requirements to promote the creation of more diverse content. Several stakeholders in the film and television industries raised concerns about the removal of a key licence condition relating to the CBC’s commitment to working with independent producers.

The CRTC has concluded a consultation about commercial radio, with the goal of assessing the relevance and effectiveness of its current commercial radio policy, and understanding what changes may need to be made. Many industry stakeholders participated in the consultation process, including a joint submission filed by ADVANCE, Canadian Council of Music Industry Associations, Canadian Independent Music Association, Indigenous Music Alliance, Music Managers Forum Canada, Music Publishers Canada and the Songwriters Association of Canada

The CRTC issued its decision in early December 2022, which maintains existing content quotas for English-language and French-language commercial radio stations. The decision also adds a new quota for emerging artists, and encourages radio stations to add Indigenous music to their playlists. The CRTC announced that it will also be holding separate proceedings to cover further changes to Canadian Content Development contributions and a new Canadian Content definition to replace the MAPL system.

OTHER NEWS & UPDATES

The Minister of Finance presented Ontario’s 2022 Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review (Fall Economic Statement) on November 14, 2022 which provided an update on film and television tax credit measures proposed in the 2022 Budget and included additional proposed changes to the film and television tax credits.

Bill 36, the Progress on the Plan to Build Act, (Budget Measures), 2022 , received Royal Assent on December 8, 2022. This means that applicants may now claim a portion of their location fees under the Ontario Production Services Tax Credit (OPSTC).

Proposed regulatory amendments for eligibility of online productions and for screen credit requirements are still pending.

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