The government wrapped up four days of meetings with film, television and music industry leaders and executives in Los Angeles to promote and champion Ontario and its creative industries, according to a government news release.
Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, was joined by representatives from the Canadian Film Centre, Canadian Independent Music Association, the Motion Picture Association of Canada, Music Canada and Ontario Creates.
While in Los Angeles, MacLeod met with executives from screen industries, including Apple TV+, Universal, Netflix, Disney, NBC and Freemantle Media, to profile Ontario as a destination of choice for the development and production of film, television and music products.
"These meetings provided me with the opportunity to connect with industry leaders face to face and promote the interests of Ontario's film, television and music industries," said MacLeod. "We have what it takes to create world-class productions — the talent, crews, infrastructure and financial incentives. Ontario offers the world in one province, and I am proud to have showcased our pride of people and place — and delivered a clear message that Ontario is open for business and that our tax credits will remain stable."
Film, television and music contribute significantly to Ontario's economy. According to the Motion Picture Association of Canada, the popular Star Trek: Discovery spent more than $257 million dollars in Ontario and employed over 4,000 Ontarians in just the first two seasons of production. Productions like this are taking place in communities across the province.
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In 2018, film and television productions supported by the province spent $1.9 billion in Ontario.
Ontario offers tax credits to support film and television production.
“The studios we represent make substantial investments in Ontario through the production of long-running television series and major feature films, as well as post-production, visual effects and digital animation projects," said Wendy Noss, President, Motion Picture Association – Canada.
