Among the key findings of the research that was conducted were:

1. Ontario has a critical mass of designers
Ontario has a large urban-based design workforce of 40, 050. Ninety per cent of these designers work in major urban centers.

2. Toronto is Canada’s design hub
Toronto has the largest design workforce in Canada and the third largest design workforce in North America (after New York and Boston). There are 25,000 designers in Toronto working in six design disciplines.

3. Ontario’s design workforce is growing
Between 1987 and 2002, growth of the design workforce significantly outpaced growth of the overall workforce.

4. Ontario’s design workforce is well-educated
Ontario’s design workforce has higher levels of formal (university or college) education than the overall workforce.

5. Graphic designers outnumber other designers in the workforce
Almost half the design workforce in Ontario is comprised of graphic designers.

6. Income levels vary among the design disciplines
Income levels for designers vary with design discipline, employment status, education level, gender and age. Income levels for graphic designers, interior designers and other (including fashion) designers are below the provincial labour force average. While income generally increases with level of formal education, this trend is less noticeable for the design workforce.

7. Designers’ work pervades the Ontario economy
Designers work in almost every sector of the economy including manufacturing, retail, information and cultural industries and many other sectors.

8. Design work is precarious
Three times as many designers are self-employed compared to Ontario’s overall labour force. Almost 22 % of designers work at home as compared to only 6% of the overall labour force.