Taylor Swift to kick off final three Toronto shows as Eras Tour heads toward finale

Taylor Swift performs during the opening show of the Toronto dates for The Eras Tour on Thursday, November 14, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Taylor Swift is throwing another party in Toronto as her celebrated Eras Tour heads into its final three nights in the city.

The pop superstar will pack the Rogers Centre full of Swifties tonight, Friday and Saturday.

She'll head to Vancouver for the last three shows of her tour, performing at BC Place from Dec. 6 to 8.

The Eras Tour has drawn thousands of Swifties to Toronto as they hope to experience celebrations around the shows and in some cases score last-minute tickets.

But it's also attracted a considerable number of fraudsters looking to capitalize on the demand by asking people to send bank e-transfers for fake tickets.

The Eras Tour has touched down in five continents and will have clocked nearly 150 performances by the time it's over.

The concerts have boosted local economies and in Toronto left a big impression on the streets of downtown where fans gathered dressed in Swift-themed outfits to celebrate the singer.

However, CIBC chief economist Avery Shenfeld questioned the net impact of Swifties on economic activity, saying there's "less than meets the eye" when everything is considered.

Shenfeld wrote in a note to clients this week that much of the fan spending in Toronto and Vancouver is likely being done by Canadians from other parts of the country.

"The money that Emma and Claire saved up for flights to Toronto or Vancouver, tickets, meals and concert merch will eat into what they have left for other discretionary spending back home," he said.

"Toronto’s gain might be Fredricton’s loss."

He suggests gross spending on hotels is overstated because the rooms wouldn't have all sat empty. Also, he says it's unlikely that T-shirts and other Swift memorabilia getting a sales boost were manufactured in the country.

"Generating economic growth requires activities that create jobs that last more than a few days, which create ongoing income that can add to spending on a sustained basis," he added.

"One-off events might, if large enough, create a blip, but one that gets reversed when the event is over, and the event-goers’ depleted savings or credit card bills need attention."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2024.