Jess Blackwell –
The economic impact of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is hardly contested. According to the Board of Trade, TIFF brings in approximately 400,000 visitors and contributes millions to Toronto’s economy, driving local demand for accommodations, dining and entertainment.
According to a report from Visa, one of TIFF’s sponsors, businesses immediately surrounding the main festival street saw a 10 per cent increase in spending in 2025 compared with 2024, marking “the strongest spending surge since TIFF returned to a fully in-person format in 2022.”
It also bolsters Canada’s film industry by creating opportunities for deals, sales and collaborations. For years, TIFF has had a strong industry component including panels, mixers and unofficial events that brought delegates together.
TIFF sought to strengthen this aspect through the recent launch of its own content market. Backed with $23 million in federal funding, TIFF unveiled a Toronto-based hub encompassing features, series and immersive projects.
TIFF declared that its “powerful, data-enabled networking tools” and “curated relationship-building process” would help filmmakers build long-term partnerships with buyers, sales reps, funders and producers. With this new format, it anticipates having 12,000 annual delegates by 2030.
Leading up to the festival, local producers and filmmakers wanted to believe the inaugural TIFF: The Market would succeed. But in the days and weeks immediately prior, skepticism seemed warranted. Delegates complained of opaque communication, a “horrible” app, and delays accessing the delegates list.
“My recommendation for future editions would be to make those lists available as they come, and as early as 6 weeks in advance. We receive[d] them too late in the game and many delegates didn’t have time to book many meetings,” said Patricia Chica, a Canadian filmmaker and producer.
The single biggest complaint was that pass pickup was a nightmare. “I went on the Tuesday so I only waited 15 [minutes], but many others waited hours,” said John Davidson, a Toronto-based delegate who has attended TIFF since 1996 and Cannes 14 times. Other delegates waited days for passes, had the wrong photo printed or found their names printed backwards.
Other concerns included sparse activity on the market floor, high pass costs, long wait times for food and tickets, and limited access to distributors. “It was quite overpriced, without a lot of benefits,” said a local producer who wished to remain anonymous. “Maybe it’s something I’d return to in a few years.”
Still, delegates had positive experiences. “The location was good. We could walk to the market in minutes. There was lots of room,” said Davidson, citing well-spaced booths that kept noise down and praising the panels.
Filmmaker Nikila Cole reported real business opportunities: “All [of my] projects moved up several notches, and I have the beginnings of some new partnerships that wouldn’t have happened outside the market.”
Other producers reported that successes occurred largely outside the market—through direct meetings, parties, or following up with existing leads off-site.
While not perfect, the inaugural market wasn’t a disaster. The online site Deadline reported that TIFF attracted 6,800 delegates, up from 5,000 the year prior. And the general attitude remains hopeful. “I think that the market at TIFF is a really good idea. […] I think they had an overall good start, and in the years to follow it will improve (it has to),” said Davidson.
“As Canadians, I believe it is important that we support our own festival and market, especially in its early stages,” Chica said. “The stronger our collective support and constructive feedback, the greater the opportunity for TIFF: The Market to evolve, grow and establish itself as an essential destination for the global film industry.”
