Canadians don’t mind reaching into their wallets if it means watching what they want when they want, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) reported last week.

Revenues generated by specialty, pay, pay-per-view and video-on-demand television services have jumped 36.7 per cent in the past five years, the CRTC said in a statement.

“In 2011, these services generated revenues of $3.7 billion, representing an increase of 7.9 per cent above the $3.5 billion earned the previous year,” the CRTC said. “This is a result of a 10.9-per cent growth in advertising revenues totaling $1.2 billion and a 7-per cent increase in subscriber revenues that exceeded $2.4 billion.”

Expenses also grew in 2011, up from $2.5 billion in 2010 to $2.7 billion last year, including $1.3 billion spent on Canadian programming, an 8.5-per cent increase.

“In 2011, these sectors of the broadcasting industry employed 5,900 people and paid a total of $461 million in salaries,” the CRTC said. “In comparison, they employed 5,495 people and paid $415 million in salaries the previous year.”