Winnipeg news: entertainment fund tax revenue back to pre-pandemic level [Video]

The City of Winnipeg’s entertainment funding tax revenue is back to its normal level following the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a city report, the entertainment funding tax generated more than $2.1 million in 2023. The last time the city saw more than $2 million in revenue from this tax was in 2019.

The report shows that between 2020 and 2022, revenues generated by this tax saw a severe drop. In 2020, it generated around $367,000; in 2021 the revenue was $611,000; and in 2021 it was just over $1.5 million.

The purpose of the entertainment funding tax is to provide a source of funds for arts and culture in the city. The tax applies to any venue hosting a performance with a ticket price of $5 or more. The venues involved include for-profit cinemas of all sizes and entertainment facilities with a fixed seating capacity of 5,000 seats or more.

Every person who attends one …