The live music industry contributes $10.92 billion annually to Canada’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product), and supports more than 100,000 jobs, according to an economic impact study by The Canadian Live Music Association (CLMA), Hear and Now: Understanding the Economic Power and Potential of Canada’s Live Music industry.

“The numbers have been achieved largely in the absence of any dedicated fiscal policy frameworks aimed at incentivizing growth,” said Erin Benjamin, President & CEO of the CLMA, in a press conference at Massey Hall’s Allied Music Centre, on Jan. 30, 2025. “That’s $10.92 billion in combined impact from live music and tourism spending, without trying… It’s clear that protecting and growing Canada’s live music infrastructure directly results in more jobs, major economic impact for cities and towns, and more performance opportunities for Canadian artists.

“It means more fans choosing Canada when deciding where to spend their music tourism dollars,” Benjamin continued. “It means sold-out hotels, fully-booked flights, bustling shops and restaurants. It means togetherness and social cohesion. It means better mental health. It means thriving downtowns. It means attracting and retaining other industries and talent to our cities. It means more revenue for artists and musicians. It means more music and memories, with family and friends, that change our lives.”

The study found that the live music industry supports more than 100,000 jobs – from artists, performers, and technicians, to venue staff, promoters, and service workers – and attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists. In 2023 alone, live music festivals and live shows in Canadian venues brought in a total of 19.69 million visitors. And the economic benefits of live music spill over into other industries, helping to create and sustain jobs in hospitality, transportation, and retail.

The study found that the combined impacts of live music company operations and tourism spending are:

  • a $10.92 billion contribution to GDP
  • $9.9 billion in visitor spending
  • 101,604 jobs created
  • $3.73 billion paid in taxes
  • $5.84 billion paid in labour income

Live music operations alone:

  • contributed $2 billion to GDP
  • created 27,490 jobs created
  • paid $513.5 million in taxes
  • paid $1.17 billion in labour income

You can access the executive summary and full report at canadianlivemusic.ca/economic-impact-assessment.