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Billboard & Outdoor Advertising in Canada - Market Research Report (2013-2028)

Matthew Pigott Matthew Pigott New York, United States Last Updated: September 2023 NAICS 54185CA

Revenue

$1.3bn

2023

$1.3bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XXX.Xm

Employees

3,422

Businesses

1,434

Wages

$XXX.Xm

Billboard & Outdoor Advertising in Canada industry analysis

In recent years, IBISWorld anticipates revenue for the Billboard and Outdoor Advertising industry in Canada to have slightly fallen amid volatile consumer spending and corporate profit. Operators experienced a steep decline in revenue during 2020 as COVID-19 pandemic-related disruptions hampered growth. However, in following years, a rebound in economic activity contributed to industry expansion as lockdowns and other business restrictions ended. Still, industry revenue is expected to have fallen at a CAGR of 0.8% to reach $1.3 billion in 2023, when revenue is set to fall 2.2% as corporate profit is set to decline.Despite the prominence of digital technology, outdoor advertising has largely escaped the decline experienced by other traditional media, primarily print industries, given its ability to capture the attention of a broad market. The internet has ushered in an age in which reaching a specific demographic is easier than ever. However, there is also now more media content than ever, and given the millions of websites and thousands of TV channels available at a moment's notice, reaching a mass audience has become more difficult. This fragmentation of demographic markets has given the industry stability as a proportion of overall advertising expenditure. Essentially, outdoor advertising can capture the attention of local consumers for downstream markets that are reliant on geographic demand such as restaurants and coffee shops. Oscillations in corporate profit have forced many companies to reduce costs in some years, including marketing expenditures that are typically included in the first budget cuts.Nonetheless, the technological changes of the past decade have not been lost in the industry, as outdoor advertising companies have been acquiring more digital billboards and networks. Digital signs are superior to traditional billboards because the content can be changed instantly and targeted at different audiences at different times of the day. Furthermore, digital billboards offer greater visibility and can feature more than one advertiser at a time. As a result, operators are generally able to generate higher returns using digital billboards. In the coming years, industry revenue is expected to increase at a CAGR of 1.0% to reach $1.4 billion in 2028 as more downstream clients realize the efficacy of outdoor advertising.

Trends and Insights

  • Revenue for the Billboard and Outdoor Advertising industry in Canada had ultimately fallen in recent years. In particular, revenue plummeted in 2020, in part due to lockdowns keeping people at home, away from billboards.
  • Billboards vary in size and shape. This includes digital and analog billboards, murals, posters and transit advertisements.
  • Most billboard and outdoor advertisers are in urban areas. Billboards are more valuable in areas where they will get more eyeballs.
  • Success in the Billboard and Outdoor Advertising industry in Canada is primarily dictated by location, tendering and inventory. Price-based competition can put significant pressure on profit.

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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2013-2028)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 0.8 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $1.3bn in 2023.

Trends and Insights

COVID-19 constrained consumer spending

  • The pandemic caused federal, province and local governments to shut down businesses and enforce quarantines.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Billboard & Outdoor Advertising in Canada
Revenue (2013-2028)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

The increased popularity of the internet will foster a long-term decline

  • The internet will continue to play a significant role in consumers' lives, as internet traffic volume and the percentage of business conducted online will soar during the outlook period.

Biggest companies in the Billboard & Outdoor Advertising in Canada

Company
Market Share (%)
2023
Revenue ($m)
2023
Profit ($m)
2023
Profit Margin (%)
2023
BCE Inc.
174.2
44.7
25.7
Brookfield Residential Properties
139.8
N/A
N/A
Outfront Media Inc.
113.2
11.3
10.0

To view the market share and analysis for all 7 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Billboard & Outdoor Advertising in Canada
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Digital billboards, Billboards and Transit displays. Digital billboards is the largest segment of the Billboard & Outdoor Advertising in Canada.

Trends and Insights

Billboards vary in size

  • Accounted for in this segment, analog billboards are mounted on structures that are owned or leased by the company. Leases are negotiated with both private and public landowners. Prices can differ depending on exposure and the potential number of consumers that would view the advertisement.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

The Billboard and Outdoor Advertising industry in Canada creates and designs advertising materials for public display, including printed, painted or electronic displays. Operators may place the displays on billboards or panels and on or within transit vehicles, shopping malls, retail stores and other display structures or sites.

What's included in this industry?

Aerial advertisingBillboard display advertisingBus, taxicab and subway card advertisingIndoor display advertisingOutdoor display advertisingStore display advertisingTransit advertisingDisplay advertising

Companies

BCE Inc.Brookfield Residential PropertiesOutfront Media Inc.

Purchase this report to view all 7 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

BULLETINIMPRESSIONSDISPLAY FACEPOSTERTENDERINGOOH

Industry Code

NAICS 2007

NAICS 541850 - Billboard & Outdoor Advertising in Canada

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Revenue for the Billboard and Outdoor Advertising industry in Canada had ultimately fallen in recent years. In particular, revenue plummeted in 2020, in part due to lockdowns...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
  • Employees, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
  • Businesses, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
  • Profit, including historical (2013-2023)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Billboards vary in size and shape. This includes digital and analog billboards, murals, posters and transit advertisements.

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2023
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2023
  • Major market segmentation in 2023

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Most billboard and outdoor advertisers are in urban areas. Billboards are more valuable in areas where they will get more eyeballs.

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each province
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2023

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each province in 2023
  • Number and share of revenue each province accounts for in 2023
  • Number and share of wages each province accounts for in 2023
  • Number and share of employees in each province in 2023

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Success in the Billboard and Outdoor Advertising industry in Canada is primarily dictated by location, tendering and inventory. Price-based competition can put significant pr...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2018-2023
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

The Jim Pattison Group is expected to account for the largest share of industry revenue in 2023. The company operates in a wide assortment of industries and is one of Canada'...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2019 through 2023
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2023
  • Overview of BCE Inc.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023
  • Overview of Brookfield Residential Properties's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023
  • Overview of Outfront Media Inc.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 4 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for BCE Inc., and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Brookfield Residential Properties, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Outfront Media Inc., and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 4 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Billboards and outdoor advertisements face regulations; these vary on different levels of government. These guidelines include rules governing areas such as alcohol, tobacco,...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2013-2028) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2013-2028) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Profit for billboard and outdoor advertisers rises and falls with revenue growth. The attractiveness of online advertising has diminished the market for billboards, causing p...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2023
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2023
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Liquidity Ratios (2016-2021)
  • Coverage Ratios (2016-2021)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2016-2021)
  • Operating Ratios (2016-2021)
  • Assets (2016-2021)
  • Liabilities (2016-2021)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2013-2028)
  • Revenue per Employee (2013-2028)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2013-2028)
  • Employees per Establishment (2013-2028)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2013-2028)
  • Average Wage (2013-2028)
  • Wages/Revenue (2013-2028)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2013-2028)
  • IVA/Revenue (2013-2028)
  • Imports/Demand (2013-2028)
  • Exports/Revenue (2013-2028)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2013-2028)
  • IVA (2013-2028)
  • Establishments (2013-2028)
  • Enterprises (2013-2028)
  • Employment (2013-2028)
  • Exports (2013-2028)
  • Imports (2013-2028)
  • Wages (2013-2028)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Billboard & Outdoor Advertising industry in Canada in 2024?

The market size of the Billboard & Outdoor Advertising industry in Canada is $1.3bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Billboard & Outdoor Advertising in Canada industry in 2023?

There are 1,434 businesses in the Billboard & Outdoor Advertising industry in Canada, which has declined at a CAGR of 0.6 % between 2018 and 2023.

Has the Billboard & Outdoor Advertising industry in Canada grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Billboard & Outdoor Advertising industry in Canada has been declining at a CAGR of 0.8 % between 2018 and 2023.

What is the forecast growth of the Billboard & Outdoor Advertising industry in Canada over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Billboard & Outdoor Advertising industry in Canada is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Billboard & Outdoor Advertising market in Canada?

The biggest companies operating in the Billboard & Outdoor Advertising market in Canada are BCE Inc., Brookfield Residential Properties and Outfront Media Inc.

What does the Billboard & Outdoor Advertising in Canada include?

Aerial advertising and Billboard display advertising are part of the Billboard & Outdoor Advertising industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Billboard & Outdoor Advertising in Canada?

The company holding the most market share in Canada is BCE Inc..

How competitive is the Billboard & Outdoor Advertising industry in Canada?

The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Billboard & Outdoor Advertising industry in Canada.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • Direct Mail Advertising in Canada

Complementors

  • Printing in Canada
  • Billboard & Sign Manufacturing in Canada
  • Advertising Agencies in Canada
  • Promotional Products in Canada

International industries

  • Billboard & Outdoor Advertising in the US
  • Specialised Design Services in Australia
  • Architectural and Design Services in New Zealand
  • Advertising Agencies in the UK
  • Advertising Agencies in Ireland

View all industries in Canada

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Canada include:

  • Statistics Canada
  • Industry Canada
  • Canadian Business Patterns

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

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