Economic contribution of culture in Canada

Employment growth in the culture sector outpaced overall employment growth in Canada between 1996 and 2001, according to a new report.

The report, which assesses the culture sector's contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) and employment, also shows that during the six-year period, the sector's GDP increased at an annual average rate of 5.7%, the same as that for the economy as a whole.

Culture employment outpaces whole economy

During the six-year period, employment in the culture sector rose at an annual average rate of 3.4%, ahead of the 2.3% growth for the economy as a whole.

In 2001, about 611,000 individuals worked in the culture sector, representing 4.1% of Canada's work force.

The majority of culture workers were employed full time, and self-employment was an important characteristic of the work force.

On a sub-sector basis, written media, the film industry and broadcasting were the top three contributors to culture employment.

Culture sector maintains share of GDP

In 2001, total economic output from Canada's culture industry surpassed the $38 billion mark, up 32% from $29.2 billion in 1996. The sector's GDP represented 3.8% of total economic output in 2001, holding steady with its share in 1996.

In terms of activity, establishments engaged in production were the biggest contributor to the economy representing, on average, approximately one-half of both GDP and employment in the culture sector over the six-year period.

On a sub-sector basis, the largest contributor to culture GDP was the written media, which includes establishments engaged in the publishing industry (newspaper, books and periodicals). It was followed by broadcasting and the film industry.

Culture workers less likely to hold full-time jobs

Culture workers were somewhat less likely than workers were in general to hold full-time jobs, due to the unique nature of some culture occupations, such as writing.

On average, 79% of workers in culture sector worked full time compared with the national average of 81% over the 1996 to 2001 period.

An average of 91% of broadcasting jobs were full time, the highest proportion in the culture sector. The film industry reported the lowest proportion at about 12%.

The unemployment rate in the culture sector was lower than the Canadian average. On average, 5.3% of the culture labour force was unemployed compared with the national average of 8.1% between 1996 and 2001.

A larger proportion of the culture labour force was self-employed than in the whole economy. Just over one-quarter of workers in Canada's culture sector were self-employed on average during the six-year period, compared with the national average of 16%.

The higher proportion of self-employment in the culture sector was mainly due to the project-based work performed by various culture sub-sectors, for example, the film industry.

Top three sub-sectors: Written media, broadcasting and film industry

Written media, broadcasting and the film industry accounted for more than half of both culture GDP and culture employment.

On average, written media, the largest culture sub-sector, accounted for 43% of culture GDP and 31% of employment between 1996 and 2001. The written media sub-sector includes establishments engaged in the publishing industry, such as newspapers, books and periodicals.

Each year, the written media sub-sector generated an average of almost $14 billion in GDP, most of which came from newspaper publishing.

Broadcasting, which includes establishments engaged in public and private broadcasting, accounted for 12% of culture GDP and 10% of culture employment. Most of the GDP and employment in this sub-sector came from private broadcasting, especially the television sector.

During this six-year period, culture GDP from the film industry grew 52% while employment grew 109%. The sub-sector was composed of establishments engaged in the creation, production and distribution of motion pictures, film and video.

The report Economic Contribution of Culture in Canada, no. 23 (81-595-MIE2004023, free) is now available online. From the Our products and services page under Browse our Internet publications, choose Free then Arts, culture and recreation.

For more information, contact Client Services (1-800-307-3382; cult.tourstats@statcan.gc.ca). To enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Vik Singh (613-951-5666, fax: 613-951-1333; vik.singh@statcan.gc.ca), Culture, Tourism and the Centre for Education Statistics.