Toronto Arts Facts 2016

Toronto Arts Stats

Benefits of the Arts to the City

According to research by the Toronto Arts Foundation in 2016, the majority of Torontonians perceive the arts as highlighting the city’s diversity, strengthening neighbourhoods, and making the city a better place in which to live.


GDP by Industri in the City of Toronto, 2016 (Statistics Canada)

GDP by Industry in the City of Toronto

Economic Diversity

In 2016, total output produced in the city of Toronto was approximately $166 billion, which accounts for more than a quarter of Ontario's total output. Of this amount, culture accounted for approximately 8%.


ESAC, Essential facts about the Canadian video game industry”, 2015

Economic Impact

Game Industry

As an example of the economic impact of the media arts, Canada has a vibrant video game industry and is one of the fastest growing entertainment industries globally. In 2015 the industry contributed more than $3 billion to the Canadian economy and provided 20,400 full-time equivalent jobs across the country1. While Toronto is home to large, well-established companies such as Ubisoft, most of the industry is made up of smaller sized companies (5 to 99 employees).

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Economic Development and Culture, Annual Report 2016

Product / Service Categories

Dynamism of the Cultural Sector

In 2016, there were more than 164,000 culture jobs in the city of Toronto, accounting for 90% of all culture jobs in the Toronto region and over half of total cultural employment in Ontario.