YouTube calls for new industry code to track Canada's social media influencers
The company says a distinct code would help measure the economic impact of a sector worth billions of dollars.
YouTube Canada wants the federal government to establish a new industry classification for social media influencers to better measure their economic impact. The video platform argues digital creators should be a distinct category in the North American Industry Classification System, which governments use to classify businesses in official statistics. YouTube estimates the sector contributes billions of dollars to Canada's economy. "We just do not have great data on the impact of the creator economy in Canada," said Nicole Bell, head of YouTube Canada.
Bell said this is a business projected to be worth billions, yet there is no visibility into who does the work, how many people are involved or the size of their businesses. According to a company report from July, YouTube created 35,000 content creator jobs in Canada last year. The report also estimated YouTube creators contributed more than $2 billion to the country's gross domestic product in 2025. The platform hosts tens of millions of content creators globally.
Statistics Canada currently measures freelancers and gig workers using NAICS codes tied to their associated industries. Influencers are mostly classified under codes for performing arts or advertising services, while rideshare drivers fall under transportation. This makes it hard to get an accurate statistical picture of the size and economic footprint of influencer work. Bell believes the reach of influencers means they should have greater access to financing and policy making tools available to other professional groups.
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"A majority of creators feel locked out of government policy making and lack recognition by the broader cultural sector," Bell noted. YouTube is asking Ottawa to create a dedicated lending stream through the Business Development Bank of Canada that would consider digital platform cash flows and intellectual property for loans. The company is also launching a new Independent Production Fund to help influencers on its platform grow. Creators on YouTube earn 55 percent of ad and subscription revenue once they reach certain subscriber or view thresholds.
Bell said influencers often face a scaling up issue because they are not traditional small businesses. "Having something more structured and focused on the specific needs of this group will help them scale up their businesses, which could mean hiring more production staff or renting a bigger studio space," she said. Data from YouTube shows the number of Canadian channels making six figures or more annually grew by 10 percent between December 2024 and December 2025. More than 10,000 Canadian YouTube channels had over 100,000 subscribers by the end of last year.
With files from The Globe and Mail