Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)
Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 1.2 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $1.2bn in 2025.
Trends and Insights
Mixed economic conditions create uneven demand for PR firms’ services
- PR firms rely heavily on stable macroeconomic conditions to facilitate demand for PR services such as lobbying and general public services. Since the bulk of demand is derived from businesses, any shakiness in the overall Canadian economy will influence businesses’ propensity to contract PR firms. A sharp 9,1% decline in 2020 fuelled by the pandemic pushed many businesses to look in-house for PR-oriented services, forcing incumbent PR firms to prioritize service specialization and diversification to attract new clients.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2025-2030)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Continued digital transformation will benefit PR firms
- As more individual consumers continue to embrace the latest gadgets, such as smartphones, public relations (PR) professionals will have to adapt how they communicate, engage with audiences and measure campaign effectiveness. With more people than ever consuming virtual content, companies will have to rely on fast-paced PR firms that can meet the needs of a 24/7 news cycle and can relay accurate information across a variety of mediums.
Biggest companies in the Public Relations Firms in Canada
| Company | Market Share (%)
2023 | Revenue ($m)
2023 | Profit ($m)
2023 | Profit Margin (%)
2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Publicis Groupe | 78.5 | 9.2 | 11.7 | |
Avenir Global | 29.8 | 5.6 | 18.8 |
To view the market share and analysis for all 2 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Full public relations services, Lobbying services and Media relations services. Full public relations services is the largest segment of the Public Relations Firms in Canada.
Trends and Insights
General public relations services bring in the most revenue
- The full public relations services segment generates the largest and most consistent revenue stream for PR firms. PR services improve the profile and image of a company, assist consumers' understanding of its products or services and inform shareholders of company activities.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
This industry includes companies that primarily provide communication strategies and organize promotional events. These activities are designed to promote their clients’ interests and image. This includes communication with the general public, investors, analysts and other stakeholders. In contrast to advertising, public relations campaigns aim to increase their clients’ exposure through public interest and news items rather than paid advertisements.
What's included in this industry?
Full public relations servicesLobbying servicesMedia relations servicesEvent managementBusiness-to-business communicationCompanies
Publicis GroupeAvenir GlobalPurchase this report to view all 2 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
BELOW-THE-LINETRADITIONAL MEDIAPLUGTWITTERBLOGIndustry Code
NAICS 541820 - Public Relations Firms 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
The widespread use of social media leads to an increasing need for public relations agencies. Having the ability to create multiplatform campaigns often allows companies to r...
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 (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
- 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
Industries with complex products or services hire PR firms to effectively convey specialized information to existing and potential customers and stakeholders. Likewise, busin...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2025
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2025
- Major market segmentation in 2025
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
PR firms are typically located near major clients. The highest percentage of facilities are located in sizable metropolitan areas across Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and...
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 2025
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each province in 2025
- Number and share of revenue each province accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of wages each province accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of employees in each province in 2025
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
The industry is highly price competitive, particularly among smaller agencies. Many agencies can offer similar results for the same price, placing downward pressure on profit...
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 2020-2025
- 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
Major companies aim to improve their brand positioning. Many companies have shared their stand on events, such as the pandemic and the Ukraine War, creating strong brand valu...
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
- Overview of Publicis Groupe's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of Avenir Global's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for Publicis Groupe, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Avenir Global, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Privately owned organizations set the standard. Most regulations focus on data management and anti-competitive practices, resulting in private organizations creating a code o...
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 (2015-2030)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
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
Wage expenses are high and will continue growing. Public relations companies require employees to have a wide skill set, ranging from soft skills, such as client communicatio...
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 2025
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Liquidity Ratios (2018-2023)
- Coverage Ratios (2018-2023)
- Leverage Ratios (2018-2023)
- Operating Ratios (2018-2023)
- Assets (2018-2023)
- Liabilities (2018-2023)
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
- Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Average Wage (2015-2030)
- Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
- Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)
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 (2015-2030)
- IVA (2015-2030)
- Establishments (2015-2030)
- Enterprises (2015-2030)
- Employment (2015-2030)
- Exports (2015-2030)
- Imports (2015-2030)
- Wages (2015-2030)
Top Questions Answered
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Public Relations Firms industry in Canada in 2025?
The market size of the Public Relations Firms industry in Canada is $1.2bn in 2025.
How many businesses are there in the Public Relations Firms in Canada industry in 2025?
There are 2,377 businesses in the Public Relations Firms industry in Canada, which has grown at a CAGR of 0.8 % between 2020 and 2025.
Has the Public Relations Firms industry in Canada grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Public Relations Firms industry in Canada has been growing at a CAGR of 1.2 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Public Relations Firms industry in Canada over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Public Relations Firms industry in Canada is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Public Relations Firms market in Canada?
The biggest companies operating in the Public Relations Firms market in Canada are Publicis Groupe and Avenir Global
What does the Public Relations Firms in Canada include?
Full public relations services and Lobbying services are part of the Public Relations Firms industry.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Public Relations Firms in Canada?
The company holding the most market share in Canada is Publicis Groupe.
How competitive is the Public Relations Firms industry in Canada?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the Public Relations Firms industry in Canada.
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Complementors
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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