Taylor Swift shows brought Toronto less government revenue than federal and provincial governments, report says

A city briefing note says Toronto received $8 million from six Taylor Swift shows in November 2024 while the federal and provincial governments collected $31.8 million combined; the city spent nearly $4 million providing services during the events.

A briefing note circulated among Toronto councillors reports that the City received a smaller share of government revenue from six Taylor Swift shows held in November 2024 than the federal and provincial governments. The note puts total government receipts tied to the Toronto stop at $39.7 million and says the City’s portion was $8 million, after nearly $4 million in service costs. City staff framed the finding as evidence of the difficulty municipalities face in fully capturing the financial benefits of major events, and noted the delivery work also served as a planning template for future large events. Key facts: - The briefing note says total government revenue linked to the six shows was $39.7 million, with Ottawa collecting $17.4 million and Ontario $14.4 million. - Toronto’s share was reported as $8 million, about 20 per cent of the total; roughly 15 per cent of the city’s amount came from the municipal accommodation tax. - The City reported nearly $4 million in costs to deliver programs and services, including $1.7 million for increased TTC service and $2.6 million billed by Toronto Police. - The note estimates the shows generated $282 million in total economic impact for Toronto and $152 million in direct spending, with about 93 per cent of direct spending from out-of-town visitors. - Attendance for the six shows was about 240,000 ticketed attendees and roughly 500,000 when accompanying visitors are included. - Hotel occupancy reached 80.5 per cent in November 2024 (up 9.6 per cent year-over-year) and short-term rental demand rose sharply, with near-Rogers Centre demand up 245 per cent. Summary: The briefing note frames a mismatch between the scale of economic activity generated by the Eras Tour stop and the portion of revenue that flowed to municipal coffers, while also saying the events boosted Toronto’s profile and provided a template for large-event planning. The report appears in the context of preparations for FIFA 2026, when Toronto will host six World Cup games beginning June 12; funding for those games remains a point of disagreement between the City and the provincial government, with some pledged provincial funds already assigned to other commitments. Undetermined at this time.