Arena Market: Canada

Oh, Canada. The northerly neighbour to the live music megalith that is the US holds its own in terms of touring. Despite the potential impacts of US tariffs on the industry and consumers alike, things are looking well across the vast nation.

“Canadians have always had a strong desire for live music across a wide variety of genres. Right now, we are seeing an increase in the number of international acts from around the world,” says Karen Massicotte, VP of sales, marketing, and business development at PNE, a greater venue campus that includes the 16,000-cap Pacific Coliseum located on the country’s western seaboard.

Massicotte notes Filipino and Taiwanese pop, as well as Punjabi artists, are selling well – “due to the diversity of our region, we see strong consumer responses to international artists out of Asia and India specifically,” she shares.

Additionally, Sabrina Carpenter, beabadoobee, and Kylie Minogue have passed through in recent months.

Filipino and Taiwanese pop, as well as Punjabi artists, are selling well

Configurable between 4,500 to 16,000 guests, the Pacific Coliseum recently upgraded to a DMX lighting system, invested in digital screens, and is set to undergo significant back-of- house renovations. Despite seeing an increasing number of shows booked further in advance, complications from US president Donald Trump’s tariffs could impact business.

“We are no longer serving US alcohol products in any of our venues. We also anticipate supply costs for touring artists to be higher, and therefore, the promoters will continue to be looking for more creative opportunities for cost recovery, such as VIP and premium products,” Massicotte says.

In the next province over, Edmonton’s 20,000-capacity Rogers Place (not to be confused with Vancouver’s Rogers Arena or Toronto’s new Rogers Stadium) recently unveiled plans to construct a CA$250m, 2,500-capacity, outdoor event park adjacent to the arena, complete with an amphitheatre.

“We are no longer serving US alcohol products in any of our venues.”

Programmers are also dialling in on a 5,000-cap theatre-style setup in the arena, with both initiatives poised to add to the arena’s hockey-centric calendar. “We’ve got a great facility here, and we can attract more content to the building and bring in more content that may skip by Edmonton,” says Mike Strawn, VP of live entertainment.

Family programming is a growing sector, especially during the colder winter months, he adds. Country, rock, 90s/00s alternative, and pop are all doing well here, with Jelly Roll selling out two shows recently – “the very first time Jelly Roll has done a one plus one and sold both of them out,” Strawn shares.

Family programming is a growing sector, especially during the colder winter months

On the other side of the country, the 5,300-capacity Meridian Centre in St. Catharines also hosted Jelly Roll in July 2024 for the country star’s first-ever international show. The Legends/ASM Global-backed venue, located near the US border by Niagara Falls, is celebrating a busy year.

“We are coming out of one of the busiest concert seasons our venue has seen in the ten years since we opened, and the next year-and-a-half looks incredibly promising. Our calendar is filling up with diverse programming – including country artists, classic rock, legacy acts, family shows, and sports,” says Jeff Dixon, Legends/ASM Global regional GM.

Roughly 60km away, Oak View Group is on track with its CA$280m revamp of Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre (18,000), due to open later this year. Upgrades to the facility will include improvements across seating, sound, sightlines, suites, and more.

“Our calendar is filling up with diverse programming – including country artists, classic rock, legacy acts, family shows, and sports”

Eastern Canada boasts most of its major venues: there’s Montréal’s 22,000-capacity Bell Centre, Toronto’s 19,800-cap Scotiabank Arena that’s still undergoing a CA$350m refurbishment, Ottawa’s 20,000-cap Canadian Tire Centre, and Quebec City’s 17,500-cap Vidéotron Centre. Other notables include Calgary’s 17,100-cap Scotiabank Saddledome, Winnipeg’s 16,345-cap Canada Life Centre, and Saskatoon’s 15,500-cap SaskTel Centre.

Challenges aside, Dixon asserts “the live entertainment sector in Canada is experiencing a powerful resurgence. Audiences are attending shows with great enthusiasm for that live experience, while driving strong ticket sales across a wide range of genres.”