Many parts of B.C.’s Capital Regional District have very high concentrations of artists and other cultural workers

Analysis of the number and incomes of artists and cultural workers by municipality within the CRD

Oct 14, 2025

This article provides a geographic breakdown of the more than 4,000 professional artists and 14,400 workers in the arts, culture, and heritage in the Capital Regional District of British Columbia. The article examines the number of artists and cultural workers in each geographic area as well as their typical incomes, based on custom data that Hill Strategies requested from Statistics Canada’s 2021 long-form census.

Readers should note that the category of “cultural workers” includes artists and many other occupations in the arts, culture, and heritage. As such, the number of artists and cultural workers should not be combined for any area.

The article was prepared at the request of the Capital Regional District. Hill Strategies retained analytical independence and editorial control of the content.

Details of the occupational categories and other notes regarding methods are provided at the end of the article.

The Capital Regional District has a very high concentration of artists and cultural workers

Here is a reminder of key findings from a previous report on artists and cultural workers in the CRD.

There are 14,400 workers in arts, culture, and heritage occupations in the Capital Regional District, representing 6.0% of the 241,400 people in the District’s labour force, above both the provincial average (5.4%) and the national average (4.4%). One in every 17 workers in the Capital Regional District has a cultural occupation. The proportion of local workers in cultural occupations ranks in the top 10 of nearly 300 regions, districts, and counties in Canada.

In 2020, a typical cultural worker in the CRD had total personal income of $43,600, 16% less than all workers in the District ($51,600).

There are 4,200 professional artists in the Capital Regional District (CRD), representing 1.7% of the Capital Regional District’s overall labour force, which is higher than both the provincial average (1.4%) and the national average (1.0%).

In other words, 1 in every 58 workers in the Capital Regional District is a professional artist. As was the case with cultural workers, the concentration of artists in the CRD is in the top 10 of nearly 300 regions, districts, and counties in Canada.

In 2020, a typical artist in the CRD had total personal income of $31,200, 40% lower than that of all workers in the District ($51,600).

This article shows that many municipalities and electoral areas within the Capital Regional District have very high concentrations of cultural workers and artists in their local labour forces.

Many parts of the Capital Regional District have very high concentrations of artists and other cultural workers

As shown in the following graph, most CRD municipalities have concentrations of cultural workers (and artists) that are above the national average (4.4%). Four CRD municipalities and electoral areas have higher concentrations of cultural workers than the provincial average (5.4%):

Saltspring Island Electoral Area: 10.7% (the second highest percentage in Canada)
Victoria: 8.5%
Oak Bay: 6.4%
North Saanich: 5.9%

Graph of artists and other cultural workers as a percentage of local labour forces in municipalities within B.C.'s Capital Regional District, 2021 census. Saltspring Island (EA): Artists, 5.1%; Other cultural workers, 5.6%; Total, 10.7%. Victoria: Artists, 2.3%; Other cultural workers, 6.2%; Total, 8.5%. Oak Bay: Artists, 2%; Other cultural workers, 4.3%; Total, 6.4%. North Saanich: Artists, 2.3%; Other cultural workers, 3.6%; Total, 5.9%. B.C. average: Artists, 1.4%; Other cultural workers, 4%; Total, 5.4%. Esquimalt: Artists, 1.3%; Other cultural workers, 4.1%; Total, 5.4%. Central Saanich: Artists, 1.3%; Other cultural workers, 3.9%; Total, 5.2%. Saanich: Artists, 1.3%; Other cultural workers, 3.6%; Total, 5%. Sooke: Artists, 1.7%; Other cultural workers, 3.3%; Total, 4.9%. View Royal: Artists, 1.2%; Other cultural workers, 3.5%; Total, 4.7%. Colwood: Artists, 1.1%; Other cultural workers, 3.3%; Total, 4.4%. Canadian average: Artists, 1%; Other cultural workers, 3.4%; Total, 4.4%. Sidney: Artists, 1.5%; Other cultural workers, 2.5%; Total, 4.1%. Langford: Artists, 0.7%; Other cultural workers, 2.9%; Total, 3.6%. Note: The census counts people in the occupation in which they worked the most hours in early May, 2021. If they did not work that week, they are classified into the occupation of longest duration since January 1, 2020. Source: 2021 census, custom data request by Hill Strategies.

Four CRD municipalities and electoral areas are not included in the analysis, because they have fewer than 10,000 residents. Data were not requested for these municipalities, because the information related to artists would not likely be reliable for such small population areas. The four CRD municipalities with no data are: Highlands, Metchosin, Southern Gulf Islands Electoral Area, and Juan de Fuca Electoral Area. The municipalities and electoral areas with reliable data represent 93% of cultural workers and 90% of artists in the CRD.

Number of artists and cultural workers by municipality within the Capital Regional District

The following table provides basic facts about cultural workers and artists who reside in municipalities within the Capital Regional District. Victoria has the largest number of cultural workers and artists, followed by Saanich. For its size, Saltspring Island Electoral Area has a very large number of cultural workers and artists. (More on this below.)

Table of Number of cultural workers and artists in municipalities within the Capital Regional District, 2021 census

Saltspring Island has the highest concentration of artists in Canada and the second highest concentration of cultural workers.

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Key facts about cultural workers and artists in each municipality and electoral area

This section provides details for each municipality with reliable data, including an analysis of the proportions of the local labour force with cultural occupations and as artists, as well as median incomes. The municipalities and electoral areas are presented in descending order of the proportion of the local labour force in cultural occupations.

The financial analysis focuses on median incomes, which are believed to provide a better indication of the typical situation of professional artists than the average (i.e., the “mean”), a statistic that is more strongly affected by a few individuals with very high incomes. In addition, the article focuses on total personal incomes, which includes all sources, such as employment income, net revenue from self-employment, pandemic supports, rental income, and investment income. It should be kept in mind that the income statistics from the 2021 census relate to the 2020 calendar year, which included many pandemic related lockdowns and significant slowdowns in artistic activity.

Saltspring Island Electoral Area has the second highest percentage of its labour force in cultural occupations out of all municipalities in Canada (10.7%, just one decimal point lower than Vancouver’s 10.8%). On Saltspring Island, there are 670 cultural workers among a labour force of 6,300 people. The 320 artists on Saltspring Island represent 5.1% of the local labour force, by far the highest concentration among Canadian municipalities and electoral areas with a population of at least 10,000. (West Vancouver is second, with 2.8%.) One in every 9 workers on Saltspring Island has a cultural occupation, and one in every 20 workers is an artist.

Saltspring Island’s cultural workers have a median income of $32,400, which is 21% lower than all workers on the Island ($41,200). Local artists have a median income of $28,000, 32% lower than the overall local labour force.

The City of Victoria has a very high proportion of its labour force in cultural occupations (8.5%): there are 4,800 cultural workers among a local labour force of 56,800 people. The 1,300 artists in Victoria represent 2.3% of the local labour force. One in every 12 workers in Victoria has a cultural occupation, and one in every 44 workers is an artist.

The median income of cultural workers residing in Victoria is $45,200, or 7% less than the overall local labour force ($48,400). Victoria artists have a median income of $32,800, which is 32% lower than all local workers.

In the District of Oak Bay, 6.4% of the local labour has a cultural occupation (580 of 9,100 workers), including 2.0% who are artists (190 of 9,100). One in every 16 workers in Oak Bay has a cultural occupation, and one in every 49 workers is an artist.

Oak Bay’s cultural workers have a median income of $47,600, which is 22% lower than all local workers ($60,800). Local artists have a median income of $31,200, roughly one-half of the overall local labour force (49% lower).

In the District of North Saanich, 5.9% of the local labour are cultural workers (390 of 6,600 workers), including 2.3% who are artists (160 of 6,600). One in every 17 workers in North Saanich has a cultural occupation, and one in every 43 workers is an artist.

The median income of cultural workers residing in North Saanich is $41,600, or 32% less than the overall local labour force ($60,800). Artists in North Saanich have a median income of $29,400, less than one-half of all local workers (52% lower).

The District of Esquimalt has 580 cultural workers among a local labour force of 10,700 people, or 5.4%. There are 140 artists in Esquimalt, or 1.3% of the local labour force. One in every 19 workers in Esquimalt has a cultural occupation, and one in every 79 workers is an artist.

Esquimalt’s cultural workers have a median income of $42,400, which is 18% lower than all local workers ($51,600). Local artists have a median income of $26,200, roughly one-half of the overall local labour force (49% lower).

In the District of Central Saanich, cultural workers represent 5.2% of the local labour force (510 of 9,800 workers), including 1.3% who are artists (130 of 9,800). One in every 19 workers in Central Saanich has a cultural occupation, and one in every 75 workers is an artist.

The median income of cultural workers residing in Central Saanich is $54,800, or 6% less than the overall local labour force ($58,000). Artists in Central Saanich have a median income of $27,000, less than one-half of all local workers (53% lower).

The District of Saanich has 3,390 cultural workers among a local labour force of 68,000 people, or 5.0%. There are 910 artists in Saanich, or 1.3% of the local labour force. One in every 20 workers in Saanich has a cultural occupation, and one in every 75 workers is an artist.

Saanich’s cultural workers have a median income of $43,200, which is 16% lower than all local workers ($51,200). Local artists have a median income of $30,600, or 40% less than the overall local labour force.

In the District of Sooke, cultural workers represent 4.9% of the local labour force (420 of 8,500 workers), including 1.7% who are artists (140 of 8,500). One in every 20 workers in Sooke has a cultural occupation, and one in every 60 workers is an artist.

The median income of Sooke’s cultural workers is $42,800, or 16% less than the overall local labour force ($51,200). Artists residing in Sooke have a median income of $33,600, which is 34% less than all local workers.

The Town of View Royal has 320 cultural workers among a local labour force of 6,800 people, or 4.7%. There are 80 artists in View Royal, or 1.2% of the local labour force. One in every 21 workers in View Royal has a cultural occupation, and one in every 85 workers is an artist.

Cultural workers in View Royal have a median income of $53,600, which is 9% lower than all local workers ($58,800). Local artists have a median income of $42,800, or 27% less than the overall local labour force.

In the City of Colwood, cultural workers represent 4.4% of the local labour force (490 of 10,900 workers), including 1.1% who are artists (120 of 10,900). One in every 23 workers in Colwood has a cultural occupation, and one in every 91 workers is an artist.

The median income of Colwood’s cultural workers is $48,000, or 16% less than the overall local labour force ($57,200). Artists residing in Colwood have a particularly high median income ($52,400), which is just 8% less than all local workers.

The Town of Sidney has 230 cultural workers among a local labour force of 5,600 people, or 4.1%. There are 90 artists in Sidney, or 1.5% of the local labour force. One in every 25 workers in Sidney has a cultural occupation, and one in every 65 workers is an artist.

Sidney’s cultural workers have a median income of $44,000, which is 15% lower than all local workers ($51,600). Local artists have a median income of $39,600, or 23% less than the overall local labour force.

In the City of Langford, cultural workers represent 3.6% of the local labour force (1,050 of 29,300 workers), including 0.7% who are artists (200 of 29,300). One in every 28 workers in Langford has a cultural occupation, and one in every 146 workers is an artist.

Langford’s cultural workers have a median income of $50,000, which is 6% lower than all local workers ($53,200). Local artists have a median income of $30,800, or 42% less than the overall local labour force.

Notes regarding methods and occupational groupings

The above analysis relates to professional workers, but with a very specific concept of professional. The census data on occupations include people who worked more hours as an artist than at any other occupation between May 1 and 8, 2021, plus people who were not in the labour force at that time but had worked more as an artist than at another occupation between January of 2020 and May of 2021. Part-time artists who spent more time at another occupation in May of 2021 would be classified in the other occupation. (The same would be true of workers in all cultural occupations.)

The occupational perspective counts people who work across the economy, as long as they are classified into one of 10 artist occupation groups or 52 cultural occupation groups. Details about the occupation groups included in these categories is available in a recent article, which also outlined the methods behind choosing the 52 cultural occupation groups. Another article highlighted some strengths and limitations of the census for counting artists and cultural workers.

To ensure confidentiality and data reliability, no estimates of fewer than 40 people are presented in this article.

The challenging context of the pandemic in the spring of 2021 is important to keep in mind when interpreting census data on artists, which were collected in May of 2021. Income data from the census relate to the 2020 calendar year.

Statistical insights on the arts