British Columbia’s culture and sport sectors continue to perform well compared to other Canadian jurisdictions, according to Culture Satellite Account (CSA) data released today by Statistics Canada.

The CSA is a tool that measures the economic contribution of culture, arts, heritage and sport to the Canadian economy. The newly released Provincial and Territorial Culture Indicators report provides updates to 2010 data and data estimates for 2011 through 2014.

Highlights of the report include:

Culture data

• In 2014, B.C.’s growth in culture gross domestic product (GDP) was higher than the national average.
• B.C. consistently has the third-highest culture GDP and jobs in the country, ahead of Alberta and behind Ontario and Quebec.
• B.C.’s total culture GDP in 2014 was about $6.7 billion, a $1 billion increase since 2010.
• B.C.’s culture GDP represents 3% of B.C.’s economy and 12.2% of culture GDP in Canada.

Sport data

• Having the second-highest sport GDP and jobs in the country, B.C. trails only Ontario and is ahead of Quebec and Alberta.
• B.C.’s total sport GDP in 2014 was about $973 million, a $52 million increase since 2010.
• B.C.’s sport GDP represents 0.4% of the B.C. economy and 16.9% of sport GDP in Canada.

The Province of British Columbia is a member of the consortium of provincial and territorial CSA funding partners. The Department of Canadian Heritage manages the consortium, while Statistics Canada leads the CSA project and related industry surveys for arts, culture and sport.

Quote:

Peter Fassbender, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development –

“This new data from Statistics Canada highlights the economic importance of culture and sport in B.C., confirming the value of investing in these sectors. With long-term plans like the Creative Economy Strategy and the Hosting Strategy as well as ongoing investment in culture and sport, the Government of B.C. is proud to support these sectors that enrich communities throughout the province.”

Quick Facts:

• The 2010 Provincial and Territorial Culture Satellite Account report released in June 2015 was the first accurate and comparable data of its kind to be available in Canada.
• The CSA is a comprehensive and reliable data source that demonstrates the economic importance of culture, arts, heritage and sport in Canada.
• The CSA statistics are the result of a rigorous and transparent methodological approach that draws on a wide variety of economic data and surveys available only at Statistics Canada.
• CSA was successfully developed through a joint effort of the Government of Canada, all provinces and territories, numerous municipalities and a number of non-governmental organizations.
• The Province is spending more than $60 million on arts and culture organizations and artists in 2016-17, including about $17.5 million in community gaming grants.
• Since 2001, government has provided arts and cultural organizations with more than $500 million, more than any other government in B.C. history.
• Launched in February 2016, the three-year Creative Economy Strategy will help grow the creative sector.
• The United Nations has identified the creative economy as one of the world’s fastest-growing sectors for income generation, job creation and export earnings.
• Budget 2016 projects that the B.C. government will invest about $50 million in funding for sport programs in 2016-17.
• Since 2005, the B.C. government has invested more than $719 million in sport infrastructure.
• In 2015-16, the Government of B.C. invested more than $3 million in sport event hosting, including support for the BC Games, Hosting BC and major events such as the IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship. An additional $2 million was provided for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015.
• In February 2016, the B.C. government launched the Sport, Arts and Culture Event Hosting toolkit as part of its five-year hosting strategy to promote British Columbia as a world-class hosting destination.

Learn More:

Statistics Canada – Provincial and Territorial Culture Indicators: http://ow.ly/VSJS3006PI3

For more information about the Creative Economy Strategy, visit: http://www.gov.bc.ca/creativeeconomy

For more information about the Sport, Arts and Culture Event Hosting toolkit, visit: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/events-hosting