Issue 17 – MAY 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.
The 2025-26 Business Intelligence Program has two deadlines: March 18, 2025, and August 12, 2025.
The most recent program guidelines can be found on our website.
New for the 2025-26 Business Intelligence Program is a Research Standards Guide. This Research Standards Guide is intended to provide Business Intelligence Program applicants and/or recipients with additional guidance relating to how applicants can ensure their proposed projects meet our quality expectations. The Research Standards Guide supplements (but does not replace) the Ontario Creates Business Intelligence Program Guidelines.
Before submitting an application, applicants are strongly encouraged to review both the Program Guidelines and Research Standards Guide.
Note: Please note that we have added two questions about the use of Artificial Intelligence technology in our applications. This includes disclosing the use of AI to prepare content for the application form and supporting documents, as well as any anticipated AI use during the course of the proposed project.
Enquiries regarding the program should be directed to: research@ontariocreates.ca.
The next deadline will be at 5:00 p.m., ET, on:
Tuesday, August 12, 2025
RECENT REPORTS FUNDED BY ONTARIO CREATES
Hear and Now: Understanding the economic power and potential of Canada's live music industry
This report from the Canadian Live Music Association explores the economic impact of live music in Canada. Prior to this study, there had been no comprehensive assessment of the economic contributions of the Canadian live music industry, including its role in tourism. The report offers a detailed analysis of the industry's current state, examining its contributions to Canada's GDP, labour market, and tourism. Additionally, it provides recommendations to strengthen and sustain the health of the live music sector.
ADVANCE - Industry Analysis & The Value of Black Music
This report from ADVANCE, Canada’s Black Music Business Collective, offers a detailed industry analysis of Black music professionals and the cultural and economic value of Black music in Canada. It provides an in-depth look at the demographics and employment data of Black individuals working within the Canadian music sector. The report also highlights the barriers, enablers, and instances of discrimination faced by these individuals. Additionally, it explores the consumption patterns of Black music in Canada, assesses its significance, and presents recommendations to foster the growth of Black music and enhance the broader Canadian music industry.
OBPO Economic Impact Assessment
This report from the Organization of Book Publishers of Ontario examines the economic impact of the province's independent book publishers. Before this study, data on this segment was limited, as most data included larger multinational corporations, and did not provide insight about the provinces independent publishers. The report provides a detailed analysis of the current state of independent book publishers in Ontario, exploring their contributions to employment, labour, and the broader economy.
Understanding the Barriers and Opportunities of the Latin Music Community in Canada
This report from Speaking Non-English examines the lived experiences of Latin-Canadian music industry professionals, with the goal of understanding the specific challenges and opportunities facing this part of the Canadian music industry. Ultimately, the goal of the report is to drive meaningful change in the Canadian music industry to unlock the economic potential of this segment.
Share the Air: A Study of Gender Representation on Canadian Radio (2013-2023)
Women in Music Canada commissioned Share the Air: A Study of Gender Representation on Canadian Radio (2013-2023) to analyze the relative levels of gender representation on six Canadian radio formats. The report notes that while much attention has been paid to the absence of women on festival lineups and awards nominations/wins, there is a gap when it comes to understanding how gender representation is playing out on radio. Taking an intersectional approach, this study investigates the rate of play for songs by women and Trans* artists between 2013 and 2023 to consider how often their songs are played across the national Country, Alternative Rock, Active Rock, Top 40, Mainstream Adult Contemporary, and Hot Adult Contemporary radio format.
ONTARIO CREATES RESEARCH
Francophone Creative Industries in Ontario
This report provides an overview of the state of Francophone creative industries in Ontario. It includes a scan of overall activity, a compilation of challenges and opportunities affecting the sector overall and each subsector (music, film and television production, publishing, gaming), including opportunities to grow the sector in Ontario, across Canada and internationally. The report, commissioned by Ontario Creates and conducted by Eric Dubeau, is based on an extensive literature review and stakeholder interviews with industry leaders conducted from December 2023 through March 2024.
View all reports
DATA RELEASES
Statistics Canada released two new data updates relevant to Ontario’s creative industries.
In late January 2025, Sound Recording and Music Publishing, 2023 was released. The data shows that Ontario’s sound recording and distribution industry had over $647 million in operating revenues in 2023, which represents 72% of total national industry revenues. The sector also paid $60.1 million in employee salaries, wages, and benefits in 2023. The data also shows that streaming sales continue to drive growth in this sector, accounting for 79.2% of total sound recording sales in 2023.
Also in late January 2025, Statistics Canada released Periodical Publishing, 2023. In 2023, Ontario’s periodical publishing industry had $613 million in revenues, which represented 60.7% of total national industry revenues. Ontario-based periodical publishers also paid over $247 million a year in salaries and benefits. At a national level, this data shows a continued shift towards digital content, with the majority of titles being published in both print and digital formats (63%) accompanied by a decline in the share of print-only publications (27.5%). Moreover, advertising revenues attributed to digital products reached a new high at 31% of total advertising revenues.
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES POLICY AND FUNDING
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is proceeding with implementation of the Online Streaming Act. A number of consultations were concluded over the course of Fall 2024, with upcoming hearings to come for a major consultation on the definition of Canadian content for TV and online streaming services. A consultation on market dynamics and sustainability in the broadcasting system is currently open for consultation until February 24, 2025, with several more public hearings scheduled for Spring 2025. Meanwhile, major global streaming services, including Netflix, Disney+ and Apple TV launched a court challenge of the CRTC’s decision to mandate contributions for foreign online undertakings. While the streaming services will not have to make their contributions until the court case is concluded, all parties have agreed to an expedited schedule with a court hearing in June 2025.
As the economic relationship between the United States and Canada takes center stage, many creative industry stakeholders are concerned about the potential impact of tariffs on their businesses. A piece in The Globe and Mail highlights some of the ongoing uncertainties faced by book publishers amidst the spectre of tariffs, while a piece in Exclaim highlights the impacts of border uncertainty on touring musicians.
OTHER NEWS & UPDATES
As part of Ontario Creates’ Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (which you can learn more about here), we are excited to unveil the addition of the UserWay accessibility widget to our corporate website! The widget allows users to personalize their browsing experience through features like screen reading, contrast adjustments, text resizing and animation pausing to improve usability and accessibility for users with visual, auditory or motion sensitivity. For more information or feedback, please reach out to research@ontariocreates.ca
Following the results of the 2025 Ontario general election, the Legislature was called back on Monday, April 14, 2025, to begin the 44th session of Parliament.
The government's plans and priorities for the new session were outlined in the Speech from the Throne, which was delivered by the Lieutenant Governor on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.
ARE YOU FOLLOWING US ON SOCIAL MEDIA?
Learn about industry news, sign up for networking opportunities and hear about programming updates.
Come join the conversation!
Contact us
Ontario Creates
175 Bloor Street East, South Tower, Suite 501,
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3R8
Phone: 416.314.6858 Fax: 416.314.6876
