Issue 21 – October 2026
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
Making It Work 2026: Pathways to Sustainable Cultural Careers
This report by Work In Culture provides an updated labour market profile of Ontario’s arts, culture and creative workforce, spanning the arts, cultural and creative industries, galleries, libraries, archives, museums, and the design sector. The report highlights key workforce data, including overall headcount, demographics, income challenges, skills and training needs, sectoral perspectives on barriers to career stability, and the uneven adoption of artificial intelligence tools. The report also highlights opportunities for collective action to address these challenges.
Reframing Access: A Best Practices Guide on Disability Inclusion in Canada’s Screen Industry
The Disability Screen Office has developed a best practice guide on disability inclusion in Canada’s screen industry. The goal was to create a best practice guide designed to be accessible and intended for individuals working in the Canadian screen industry who want to create a more inclusive and accessible workplace. The guide outlines disability-inclusive planning through the various stages of the screen production process, including outlining disability definitions, potential accommodations, and best practices that can be implemented to reduce barriers to create a more accessible production.
Higher Education Course Materials Landscape Analysis
The Association of Canadian Publishers undertook a research study to better understand the current landscape of higher education course materials in Canada after years of declining sales of post-secondary materials. The study examines the various pressures affecting course materials in the humanities and social sciences (HSS), explores how course adoption practices are influencing these materials, and identifies key points of change within the sector. Results include an analysis of factors like enrollment trends and course material changes, as well as recommendations for publishers to strengthen their course material offerings to better adapt to the current landscape.
RECENTLY UPDATED INDUSTRY PROFILES
All Profiles
DATA RELEASES
Statistics Canada has released the latest National Culture Indicators dataset covering the fourth quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026. This quarterly update provides national-level data on culture GDP, output and jobs from a product perspective. In Q1 2026, the real GDP of the culture sector in Canada increased by 0.6%, while total jobs in the sector declined by 0.3%.
Ontario Creates has posted its 2025 Film and Television Productions Statistics, which highlight that Ontario’s film and television industry contributed $2.7 billion to Ontario’s economy in 2025, and created 35,268 high-value, full-time equivalent direct and spin-off jobs for Ontarians. You can view more here.
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES POLICY AND FUNDING
On June 3, the federal government announced $600 million annually to stabilize and provide immediate support to Canada’s audio and audiovisual sectors with the goal of keeping Canadian culture accessible and affordable. No further details have been announced to date.
On June 4, the federal government ordered the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to review its recent Canadian programming expenditure framework decision. Canadian Heritage will additionally be issuing new policy directions on how the Commission must implement the Online Streaming Act.
On July 29, Playback reported that a recent filing made to the Federal Court of Appeal states that the federal government is now planning to eliminate the Online Streaming Act’s base contribution requirement on streaming services, and that Ottawa intends to instead provide government funding to replace those contributions.
The CRTC’s base contributions decision, issued in June 2024, requires foreign-owned streaming services with annual Canadian revenues of $25 million or more to contribute 5% of their revenue throughout the domestic broadcasting system. This funding has been held up by the case in the Federal Court of Appeal, however it was expected to add $200 million to the Canadian system per year.
Federal policy directions to the CRTC are currently pending release.
OTHER NEWS & UPDATES
Ontario Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, Stan Cho, resigned from cabinet on July 17. Zee Hamid was appointed as Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming on September 10.
The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development has published a Consultation Paper to inform the Development of Regulations under the STAR Act, available on the Ontario Regulatory Registry website. The Strengthening Talent Agencies Regulation (STAR) Act 2026 would establish rules for talent agencies for the handling of the earnings of entertainment workers to ensure those workers are paid in a timely manner. The Consultation Paper presents a series of questions on key aspects of the proposed regulatory framework, and stakeholders may submit feedback until September 25, 2026. You can learn more here.
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
Phone: 416.314.6858
