Punch and warp into these star-quality numbers

For countless fans of an iconic video-game series featuring a plumber named Mario and his brother Luigi, who travel through the Mushroom Kingdom trying to save a princess, March 10 is also known as MAR10 Day!

We’re fans over here at Statistics Canada, too, and you know that when we start, we’re going to select a lot of numbers. We’re type A and not type B at this stats game, so try to 1-up us.

Video games

When we last surveyed Canadians in 2020, just over one-third (35%) of those aged 15 years and older reported playing online video games.

In the fourth quarter of 2022, Canadian retailers sold nearly $367.6 million of electronic game consoles, and over $176.4 million of game software, both down compared with the fourth quarter of 2021.

Also in the fourth quarter of 2022, the publishing industries subsector—including software and video game publishing—contributed nearly $12.7 billion, or approximately 0.6%, to Canada’s overall gross domestic product (GDP) of nearly $2.1 trillion (in chained 2012 dollars).

Plumbers

In 2021, the Census of Population counted 49,795 employed plumbers across Canada.

But, if you think a plumber has been hard to find—maybe hiding behind a brick wall or a pipe?—you’re on to something. In the third quarter of 2022, there were 3,205 job vacancies nationwide for plumbers, down from the previous quarter, but up by half (+50.8%) from the 2,125 openings reported in the third quarter of 2021.

And who’s coming up the pipe? In 2021, there were 7,746 new apprenticeship registrations for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, and 4,362 new certifications. Both were up from 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected apprenticeship numbers.

Across Canada in December 2022, there were 26,601 business locations for plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors. About 6 in 10 of these businesses (58.6%) reported staff numbers, and of those, over half (55.1%) had one to four employees. Perhaps there are many brother duos working in the industry!

Bricks and pipes

Speaking of bricks and pipes—punch and warp into this.

In December 2022, there were 1,543 business locations across Canada in the cement and concrete manufacturing industry group, which had 26,555 Canadians on payroll. These businesses manufacture concrete bricks, pipes and blocks, in addition to other concrete products.

In December, there were also 318 business locations across Canada in the steel product manufacturing from purchased steel industry group. These businesses are primarily engaged in manufacturing iron and steel pipe and tube, drawing steel wire and rolling steel shapes. Another 7,378 Canadians were on the payroll in this group.

Coins

When you punch those bricks, you’ll shake loose some Mushroom coins, the currency found in various levels. We don’t have stats on that, but we can explain Canadian currency!

In the third quarter of 2022, there were nearly $6.8 billion worth of Canadian currency and deposit liabilities of the federal government, up from over $6.6 billion in the third quarter of 2021. These liabilities include only physical coins.

We've tracked this number going back to the first quarter of 1990, when it stood at over $2.1 billion, almost three years after the introduction of the loonie. Said liabilities were over $2.8 billion in the first quarter of 1996, when the toonie was introduced. They rose to nearly $5.5 billion in the second quarter of 2012, when production of the penny stopped.

Tunnels and bridges

Across Canada in 2020, there were 475 publicly owned tunnels and 3,936 footbridges. Burrow through and hop across carefully!

Mushrooms

We recently reported that Canadian mushroom growers sold a record high 151,894 short tons of mushrooms in 2021, up 3.9% from one year earlier.

In 2021, there were 1.7 kilograms of fresh mushrooms per person available for consumption in Canada, down from 1.9 kilograms one year earlier and from 2.6 kilograms one decade earlier.

Stars

Look up! In 2021, the Canadian aerospace industry contributed over $24 billion in GDP and close to 200,000 jobs to the Canadian economy.

Flowers

Power up! The 2021 Census of Agriculture counted 120 farms across Canada that were classified as floriculture production. Nearly 233.3 million potted plants were produced on Canadian farms, including several flower varieties. As well, over 301.4 million cut flowers were produced.

Canadians spent $1.8 billion on greenhouse flowers and plants in 2021 and another $747.5 million on nursery products.