The Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) is calling on the province to strengthen its economy amid recent trade disruptions by investing in the culture sector.
The OCC said the province’s culture sector, including the arts and creative industries, is a critical driver of economic growth, global competitiveness, and community cohesion. However, it faces critical challenges that need to be addressed, including insufficient access to capital, labour shortages, and new challenges from the rise of artificial intelligence.
OCC President and CEO Daniel Tisch noted Ontario's culture sector contributed over $26 billion to the provincial GDP in 2022 and represents nearly half of Canada’s cultural economy, supporting 270,000 jobs across film, music, galleries, and interactive digital media.
“Cultural industries strengthen our communities, make Ontario more attractive as a destination for investment, talent and tourism, and enhance our global business opportunities at a time of uncertainty in our trading relationships,” said Tisch. “The Ontario Chamber’s latest policy brief finds our cultural industries brimming with potential to drive innovation, inclusion, and competitiveness. But bold and decisive action is necessary to secure their future.”
Tisch added strategic investments and coordinated action across government, industry and academia can unlock the potential of the cultural industries, and the communities and businesses that they support.
The OCC is recommending developing a comprehensive strategy that integrates cultural development into Ontario’s economic planning; enhancing talent development to address labour shortages and promoting opportunity for underrepresented communities; and expanding and simplifying funding mechanisms while streamlining access to capital for small and medium-sized cultural enterprises.
Other recommendations include strengthening international competitiveness through marketing campaigns, trade missions, and cultural showcases; and investing in purpose-built cultural infrastructure, expanding transportation networks, and diversifying funding strategies to include rural, remote, Indigenous, and under-served communities.