10 Canadian Statistics Every Dance Retailer Should Know

The Business of Dance

Canada's dance industry is much larger than the businesses most people immediately associate with it.

Behind every dance studio is a network of retailers, costume suppliers, photographers, competition organizers, choreographers, event venues and other service providers. Dance families purchase shoes, tights, apparel, costumes, accessories and training throughout the year.

Yet finding reliable statistics about the Canadian dance retail industry is surprisingly difficult.

Statistics Canada does not track dancewear stores as a separate industry. Depending on what they sell and how they operate, dance retailers may be included within broader categories such as clothing retailers, sporting goods retailers or electronic shopping businesses.

That means there is no single official number showing exactly how much Canadians spend on dancewear.

However, Statistics Canada and other Government of Canada data still reveal several important trends affecting dance retailers.

1. Canadian retail spending has reached $865 billion

Canadian retail spending reached $865.2 billion in 2024, an increase of 3% from the previous year.

Of that amount, approximately $73.7 billion came from e-commerce sales. Online retail revenue increased 9% during the year, growing much faster than retail spending overall.

For dance retailers, the important point is not simply that Canadians shop online. It is that online shopping continues to take a larger share of a relatively slow-growing retail market.

A dance store relying entirely on local foot traffic is therefore competing with every online dancewear retailer capable of shipping to its customers.

2. Canadian e-commerce generated almost $74 billion in one year

The $73.7 billion in Canadian e-commerce revenue reported for 2024 represented approximately 8.5% of total retail spending.

That annual figure includes online sales made by Canadian retailers. It does not include purchases Canadians made from businesses located outside Canada, meaning the total value of Canadians' online shopping is likely even higher.

This distinction matters in dance retail.

Canadian stores are not only competing with other Canadian dance shops. They are also competing with international dancewear companies, large online marketplaces and brands that sell directly to dancers.

A local retailer cannot always compete on price or inventory. It can compete through expert fittings, trusted product recommendations, studio partnerships, faster local service and a better understanding of the Canadian dance community.

3. Online retail sales continue to grow

Statistics Canada reported that Canadian retail e-commerce sales increased 9% in 2024.

By February 2026, online retail sales were running at approximately $5.1 billion per month, representing 7% of monthly retail trade.

The exact percentage changes from month to month, but the long-term direction is clear: online purchasing is now a permanent part of Canadian shopping behaviour.

For dance retailers, an online store should no longer be treated as a secondary feature. At minimum, customers should be able to:

• See what products and brands the store carries
• Check store hours and location
• Understand fitting and return policies
• Book a pointe shoe or specialty fitting
• Order common replacement items
• Contact the business easily
• Find the retailer through Google

A full national e-commerce operation may not be necessary for every independent store. A strong digital storefront is.

4. The performing arts industry generates $3.2 billion

Canada's performing arts industry generated $3.2 billion in operating revenue in 2024, an increase of 17% from 2022.

Industry expenses also increased 17.4% to $2.8 billion, while the average operating profit margin declined slightly from 12.9% to 12.6%.

These figures cover the broader performing arts industry, including theatre companies, dance companies, musical groups, artists and other performance organizations. They do not represent dance retail alone.

Still, the numbers provide valuable context. Dance retail operates inside a multibillion-dollar Canadian arts economy.

The increase in both revenue and expenses also reflects a challenge many dance businesses recognize: more money may be moving through the industry, but costs are rising quickly too.

Retailers dealing with higher product, shipping, rent and payroll costs cannot rely on increased sales alone. They also need to protect their margins.

5. Canada had at least 108 dance companies with employees

Statistics Canada reported that Canada had 108 dance companies with one or more employees, alongside 529 additional non-employer or indeterminate establishments in the industry.

This figure includes professional organizations such as ballet, contemporary, folk and jazz dance companies. It does not include every dance studio, independent teacher, recreational program or self-employed dance professional operating in Canada.

That distinction is important.

Statistics Canada defines a dance company as an establishment primarily engaged in producing live dance presentations. A recreational dance studio that mainly provides instruction may be classified elsewhere.

The official count therefore represents only one part of Canada's much broader dance ecosystem.

6. Dance retail is effectively invisible in official industry data

Statistics Canada does not have a specific industry classification for dancewear retailers.

A store selling leotards, tights and dance shoes may be grouped with clothing and clothing-accessory retailers. A business emphasizing athletic or specialty footwear may appear under another retail category. An online-only retailer may be captured differently again.

This makes it nearly impossible to answer seemingly simple questions such as:

• How many dance retailers operate in Canada?
• How much revenue does Canadian dance retail generate?
• How many people work in dancewear stores?
• How much do Canadian families spend on dance products?
• Which provinces have the largest dance retail markets?

This is not evidence that the market is small. It means the market is fragmented across broader statistical categories.

It also presents an opportunity for the Canadian dance industry to collect and publish better data of its own.

7. Canadian households spend more than $5,000 a year on recreation

In 2023, the average Canadian household spent $5,231 on recreation.

That was up from $4,223 in 2021 and $4,624 in 2019.

Dance is only one part of this category, which also includes many other recreational products and services. The number should not be presented as average household spending on dance.

It does, however, demonstrate the scale of the household recreation economy in which dance studios and retailers compete.

Dance businesses are not only competing against one another for family spending. They are competing with sports, camps, music lessons, travel, entertainment and other extracurricular activities.

Retailers must therefore communicate value, not simply list products.

Parents need to understand why a proper fitting matters, why certain products last longer and why buying the correct shoe can save money and frustration later.

8. Recreation spending has moved above pre-pandemic levels

Average Canadian household spending on recreation rose from $4,624 in 2019 to $5,231 in 2023, an increase of approximately 13%.

Some of that increase reflects inflation rather than a comparable increase in the amount of recreation families purchased. Nevertheless, household recreation spending has recovered from its pandemic-era decline.

This is positive for dance businesses, but it should not be interpreted as unlimited discretionary spending.

Families are also paying substantially more for shelter, food and transportation. Average household spending reached $76,750 in 2023, with rising essential costs placing pressure on family budgets.

Dance retailers should expect customers to be more selective, even when they remain committed to dance.

Clear pricing, durable products, starter packages and well-explained options at different price points can help families make decisions without reducing every conversation to the cheapest available item.

9. Raising a child now costs families an estimated $293,000

Statistics Canada estimated that a middle-income, two-parent family with two children spends approximately $293,000 to raise one child from birth to age 17.

That equals an average of about $17,235 per child each year.

Dance expenses are only a small part of that total, but the figure provides important context for businesses selling to parents.

A family purchasing dancewear may also be paying for tuition, competition fees, travel, costumes, photography, school expenses and activities for additional children.

Retailers should be careful about assuming that reluctance to purchase reflects a lack of commitment to dance. It may simply reflect the number of expenses arriving at the same time.

Businesses that make costs predictable and explain what dancers actually need are likely to earn more trust than businesses that continually push unnecessary upgrades.

10. One dancer can create spending across several industries

Statistics Canada does not publish a complete estimate of the economic value created by an individual Canadian dancer.

However, the spending connected to dance can extend well beyond tuition and dancewear.

A competitive dancer may generate spending on:

• Weekly classes
• Private lessons
• Registration and competition fees
• Dance shoes and apparel
• Costumes and alterations
• Hair and makeup products
• Photography and video
• Hotels and restaurants
• Gas or airfare
• Workshops and conventions
• Physiotherapy and other health services
• Team merchandise and studio apparel

Much of this activity is recorded under unrelated industries, making the total dance economy difficult to see in official statistics.

Dance may appear small when each part is measured separately. Taken together, it supports a substantial network of Canadian businesses.

What these numbers mean for Canadian dance retailers

The data points to three clear conclusions.

First, dance retail is part of a much larger Canadian arts, recreation and retail economy. It should not be evaluated solely by the number of dance stores operating in a particular city.

Second, digital shopping is continuing to grow. Even retailers built around in-person fittings and local relationships need a strong online presence.

Third, dance families are committed customers, but they are operating under real financial pressure. The strongest retailers will combine expertise with transparency, convenience and practical value.

The Canadian dance retail industry remains difficult to measure because it cuts across several official industry classifications. That is precisely why greater visibility and industry-specific data matter.

Dance businesses cannot advocate effectively for their economic importance when much of their activity remains hidden inside larger categories.

For now, the available Statistics Canada data gives us an incomplete but useful picture: dance operates within a growing multibillion-dollar performing arts sector, a $73.7-billion Canadian e-commerce market and a household recreation economy worth thousands of dollars per family each year.

The dance retail market may not have its own official statistical category, but it is very much a real Canadian industry.