CLMA Welcomes Budget 2025 Cultural Investments, Highlights Opportunities to Strengthen Canada’s Live Music Sector
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ottawa, ON - November 4, 2025
Canada’s live music ecosystem — made up of venues, festivals, promoters, production companies, and countless creative professionals — works together to support the careers of Canadian artists, attract visitors from around the world, and power a major segment of the national economy. It is a vital industry that connects communities, creates jobs, and helps define who we are as a country.
The Canadian Live Music Association (CLMA) enthusiastically welcomes the federal government’s continued investment in Canada’s cultural sector and the short-term stability this provides through key programs such as the Canada Arts Presentation Fund (CAPF) and Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage (BCAH). These programs help ensure that Canadians in communities of all sizes can continue to experience the festivals, events, and concerts that enrich local life, strengthen regional economies, and showcase the best of Canadian creativity.
The Canada Music Fund’s (CMF) three-year extension is a positive signal of the government’s commitment to Canada’s music ecosystem. As details of future funding priorities take shape, it will be essential that this investment reflects the full scope of the sector — including the commercial live music infrastructure of venues, festivals, and promoters that also work to sustain touring and connect artists to audiences across the country.
The CLMA, along with its partners in the Creative Industries Coalition, notes that a Live Performing Arts Tax Credit was not included in this year’s budget but remains confident that the discussion will continue. Such a measure would help attract private investment, create jobs, and strengthen the infrastructure that supports live performance across Canada.
According to CLMA’s Hear and Now report, Canada’s live music industry contributes over $10.9 billion annually to GDP and supports more than 101,000 jobs. Globally, the music tourism market is projected to reach USD $267.85 billion by 2030, reflecting surging demand for live experiences and the enormous opportunity for Canada to compete and grow within that expanding marketplace. Recognizing and resourcing the infrastructure that powers this activity is essential to advancing national goals of economic productivity, cultural identity, and regional development.
“Live music is one of Canada’s most powerful economic, social, and cultural assets,” said Nate Sabine, Chair of the CLMA Board of Directors and Director of Business Development at Blueprint. “The CLMA looks forward to continuing to work with government and its agencies to ensure that the true power of live music is fully harnessed — for our artists, our communities, and our country.”
The CLMA remains committed to collaborating with partners across government and the cultural sector — building a stronger, more sustainable live music industry that continues to connect Canadians and share our stories with the world.
For more details on Federal Budget 2025: Building Canada Strong, visit here.
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CONTACT:
Erin Benjamin, President & CEO
Canadian Live Music Association
ebenjamin@canadianlivemusic.ca