December may be the most wonderful time of the year, but for 163,000 concertgoers, it's all about Taylor Swift.

Swiftie or not, no one can deny the success of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. With 149 shows across five continents, it’s the first tour to ever break the billion-dollar mark. Each city she performs in has experienced an economic surge, known as the ‘Swift Lift,’ with hotel bookings, restaurants, and shops seeing spikes in business—just one of the many reasons we’re excited that she’s chosen B.C. as her final tour stop in December.

In Vancouver, hotel bookings have soared, and restaurants and shops around B.C. Place are expecting up to a 200% increase in business.

According to a U.S. Travel Association study, fans attending her U.S. shows spent an average of $1,500 USD or more on hotels, food, merchandise, and costumes in the days surrounding the event—spending levels rivaling the Super Bowl!

The "Swift Lift" shows us the positive economic impact of a major event but also highlights how short-lived it is. It raises an important question: if just a few days can create this much excitement, what could we achieve with a lasting economic boost?

The potential is here. British Columbia has between $80 billion and $100 billion in mining and natural gas projects awaiting approval. If these projects receive the green light, they could drive growth, boost incomes, and generate the government revenues needed for public services like healthcare, education and infrastructure. Jobs in these sectors also pay well above the provincial average with forestry jobs averaging $123,000, mining at $146,000, and oil and gas roles at $209,000.

We’ve seen the impact of large-scale projects like the Site C dam, the LNG facility in Kitimat, and the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. These projects injected millions into the B.C. economy, created thousands of jobs, and funded public services. But as they wrap up, we’re left asking: what comes next?

The 'Swift Lift' demonstrates the impact a short-term boost can have on local economies. If such a brief surge can create so much excitement, imagine the potential of a long-lasting surge that sustains and grows over time.

Taylor Swift chose B.C. as her final stop. Let’s make B.C. the final stop for businesses too.