New economic data shows growth in Nova Scotia’s culture and sport sectors in Nova Scotia.

Culture, Sport Contribute More to Nova Scotia’s Economy

New economic estimates released on May 11, 2016 by Statistics Canada show the economic contribution of culture and sport in Nova Scotia has increased over the past five years. The trends are spelled out in a new report Provincial/Territorial Culture Indicators (PTCI) (PDF 314 KB), that updates our picture of the contribution of culture (PDF 570 MB) and sport (PDF 565 MB) to the economy of every province and territory in Canada 2010 through 2014.

The data show that Nova Scotia has seen notable growth in culture and sport over these years.  The economic indicators include estimates of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and jobs for both culture and sport and reveal economic trends in arts, cultural industries, heritage, and sport.

The report showed culture and sport together have contributed $1.05 billion to the Nova Scotian economy in 2014.  Culture and sport job numbers in Nova Scotia have grown over the same five years, reaching 15,813 in 2014.

In 2014 arts, culture and heritage contributed $949 million to Nova Scotia's economy, and provided 13,874 jobs across the province.  That’s 15.28% growth from culture’s economic status in the Province in 2010 and an increase of 4.73% in culture jobs from 2010.

The report looks at the economics of culture grouped in eight broad categories (indicators) (PDF 2.2 MB) that include heritage and libraries, live performance, visual and applied arts, written and published works, audio-visual and interactive media, sound recording, education and training, and governance/funding-and-professional-support. 

Sport GDP in Nova Scotia as well as sport jobs in Nova Scotia are included.  Sport contributed $98.2 million to the Nova Scotian economy in 2014, that’s close to 10% growth from 2010, and represents 1,939 jobs.

Because these estimates provide information over five years from 2010 to 2014, participants in Nova Scotia culture and sport have a new way to understand trends in these sectors and note changes in economic growth over time.

The PTCI is the most recent product of the Culture Satellite Account (CSA), and marks the first time this information been available for culture and sport in Canada’s provinces and territories.  The CSA is an initiative of fourteen federal-provincial-territorial governments working together to fund this important economic tool. Nova Scotia continues to play a key role as national co-chair for the research.

Download infographic (PDF 259KB)