There are many layers to the sports tourism industry in Ontario, many of which date back years. The first major acknowledgement that sports should be included into the fold of tourism and culture in the province came in 2011, when the government officially added sports as a sector that strengthened the economy. Ontario is home to some very successful and talented sports teams, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Ottawa Black Bears, and the Toronto Raptors. Some of the most popular sports played and watched in the region include ice hockey, basketball, football, lacrosse, baseball, and even ultimate frisbee!
The growth of sports tourism in Ontario in the past decade or so has resulted in a huge economic boost for the province, as well as helped to develop other sectors, such as the gaming industry. Ontario has progressive gambling laws, which means that both domestic and international sporting fans are able to place bets on their favourite teams and events whilst in the region. It is much easier to find sportsbooks, both online or in-person, in Ontario, compared to many other places in Canada. However, as Khadija Bilal, an author specializing in online betting says, throughout all of Canada, there has been an increase in sports betting due to recent law changes. Thanks to this, the sports tourism industry has grown exponentially as people flock from neighbouring provinces or other countries where sports betting is not yet accessible.
In recent years, there has been even more investment into Ontario’s sports tourism sector. In 2021, the government committed $105 million to culture, tourism, and sport organizations through the Community Building Fund. One of the main purposes of these funds was to help non-profit groups recover from the long-standing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Part of the money went towards rebuilding efforts, whilst the remainder was put into creating new experiences and events such as local sports programs and recreation facilities.
As of 2023, there has been more collaboration with indigenous communities in Ontario to increase sports tourism further. The CEO of Indigenous Tourism Ontario (ITO), Kevin Eshkawkogan, has stated that he is committed to bringing together the ITO and Ontario’s sporting world. Some of the partnerships that have been seen already include Toronto Maple Leafs’ games being held in Taykwa Tagamou Nation and Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory. The most recent collaboration with the ITO has been with the Ontario Indigenous Championship and Golf Ontario. The agreement will push forward indigenous sports tourism, which all parties involved are confident will progress the overall tourist economy of the region.
Stats from 2020 revealed that Ontario received the highest numbers of sports tourists (41%) in comparison to other provinces in Canada, with places like Quebec coming in at 18% and British Columbia at 12%. Numbers provided by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport show that of all tourist visits to Canada, a huge 42.7% are to Ontario specifically, and that $38 billion was recorded in tourism receipts. These figures go a long way in explaining why the Ontario government and other community and sports-focused organizations are so focused on expanding sports tourism in the area.
