Canadians might be feeling pinched, but a steady diet of live entertainment seems to be a non-negotiable.
Driving the news: New RBC data shows that Canadians’ spending on arts and entertainment in October jumped over 200% compared to 2018 levels, despite pulling back on other categories like household goods. Spending in Ontario led the pack, driven in large part by the Blue Jays' World Series run.
Separate Statistics Canada data shows that spending on recreational events like live sports, movies and performing arts climbed 120% between 2021 and 2023.
Why it matters: The post-pandemic spending surge on live events was chalked up to people making up for the lost time of lockdown. But this data suggests people weren’t just reacting to being cooped up, and that entertainment has become a higher priority for Canadians.
Live music in particular has been a hit. A Live Nation survey found that concerts beat out movies and sporting events as the top entertainment choice in Canada and globally.
That’s been good news for the arts and culture industry. Over the past three years, the sector’s economic output has grown twice as fast as Canada’s overall economy.
Our take: People generally aren’t going out as much, especially to bars, but that doesn’t mean people aren’t doing things; this trend suggests Canadians are happy spending more on fewer events that feel special. That said, this writer wishes he could erase the memory (and financial hit) of attending Game Seven of the World Series.—LA