Thanks to productions like The Handmaid’s Tale, Star Trek: Discovery and The Queen’s Gambit, Ontario has reached record levels of television and film production during the pandemic.
“That economic impact is pretty impressive, and it’s been done during COVID, it’s been done during shutdowns, it’s been done during massive restrictions in the province,” Heritage Industries Minister Lisa MacLeod said Thursday. sport, tourism and culture.
In 2021, MacLeod said 394 productions took place in the province, grossing $2.8 billion and representing $700 million in growth.
That translates to 274 domestic projects, which accounted for about $965 million in economic impact, MacLeod said, and 120 foreign projects, which had an economic impact of $1.9 billion.
“That equates to around 48,000 full-time jobs, including spin-off jobs. These jobs that are being created in film and television production in Ontario include technicians, carpenters, set designers and wardrobe specialists,” said MacLeod. This represents a 38% increase from 2020.
The minister attributed much of the province’s success during the pandemic to the early creation of health and safety standards, alongside the Department of Health and the Minister of Labour.
“Through this early work, we have taken a step ahead of the rest of North America in being able to provide this safe environment,” she said.
Already, 25 projects are underway since the start of the new year with a budget of $52 million in pre-film tax credits allocated in 2021-2022.
” We are in shape. We are in better shape than before and we are truly ready to welcome the world back to Ontario to restart film and television production and ensure that we remain leaders, not only in Canada, but around the world.” , said MacLeod.
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