Exhibition Place, one of Canada’s leading destinations for events, generated over $594m in direct revenue for the Canadian economy in 2023.
In the newly-released Economic Impact Report, Exhibition Place breaks down its financial performance for the year 2023. The site hosted a total of 1,761 events, attracted 5.5m attendees and supported 3,726 jobs.
Exhibition Place is a 192-acre district of convention centres, theatres, historic sites and more. Its range of convention venues includes the LEED Platinum Enercare Centre, LEED Silver Beanfield Conference Centre, BMO Field, Liberty Grand, Medieval Times, Toronto Event Centre and Coca Cola Coliseum.
Large-scale business events recently hosted at the mega-site include the Collision Conference and the American Water Works Association Convention. Major cultural events have also been held there, such as the Canadian National Exhibition, Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and Toronto Caribbean Carnival.
Highlights from the 2023 report include:
- Visitors to Exhibition Place generated $174.7m in direct spending, organisers generated $99.8m, and exhibitors generated $40.9m
- Total spending (including direct, indirect and induced) increased by $17m between 2019 and 2023 ($560.8m to $577.7m)
- Lodging in 2023 accounted for the largest proportion of visitor spending with total direct spending of $69.5m
- Money generated as federal tax totalled $20.4m, provincial taxes totalled $12.1m, and local taxes totalled $10.4m
Don Boyle, CEO of Exhibition Place, said: “Our vision is to become Canada’s premier destination for conventions, exhibitions, events and entertainment, and the results of this study are a testament to the joint commitment and dedication of our team members, tenants, and partners.”
Laura Purdy, general manager of Exhibition Place, added: “The business events industry is a huge driver of the visitor economy … [the] $594.5m in visitor spending … fuels the visitor economy of Toronto’s ecosystem, from retail, to transport and accommodation, to food and beverage, across the supply chain.”
To access the full report, click here.
