A first-of-its-kind study commissioned by the Ontario Book Publishers Organization (OBPO) highlights the significant contribution the independent book publishing industry in Ontario made to the province’s economy in 2023, including a $145 million contribution to the GDP.

The study, conducted by Nordicity, identified 78 active independent publishers in the province (predominantly companies with fewer than 10 employees, with the equivalent of 1,350 full-time equivalent jobs) and found that their direct contribution to GDP last year was $58.5 million, with a $56 million indirect impact (through purchases of supplies and services), and a $30.4 million induced impact through the spending of people employed by the publishing industry and its supply chain.

Of that economic impact, the study estimates that 52% of it was generated by publishers who receive funding from the Ontario Creates Book Fund (which provides project funding for marketing initiatives and other business development activities), and that the industry generated $1.74 for every dollar distributed through the Book Fund – a 174 per cent rate of return.

The study also estimates that, for every 1.2 titles published in Ontario (1,678 new titles and editions in total), one full-time job is created.

The OBPO hopes to use the results of this study as a benchmark for future research.

The study was funded by Ontario Creates’ Business Intelligence Program and Access Copyright’s Marian Hebb Research Grants.