News > Trouble in North Hollywood, eh

Written by John Lichman

While the Toronto Film Festival begins today, it seems all is not well with our neighbor to the North. An editorial from the Toronto Star that non-Canadian shooting is hurting the film industry–and, you know, Toronto.

Filming has faltered, with spending on major productions down 35 per cent and commercial production slipping by 65 per cent. Toronto still boasts some of the world's best film crews, excellent studio facilities, and deep reservoirs of talent. However, changing market realities and global competition are hammering the local industry.

 

Other North American jurisdictions are successfully luring film companies with tax credits and incentive programs. At the same time, a rising Canadian dollar hurts local efforts to compete. It is also increasingly hard to keep up with industry changes as video games and the Internet alter the entertainment universe. Meanwhile, government policies encouraging film production in smaller communities drain activity from Toronto.

Because of all that, overall production spending in this city fell to $700 million last year – down from $1.2 billion in 2000.

"The industry is facing a crisis," warns a report from Toronto's acting film commissioner Peter Finestone. "Government, agencies and local industry must take action together, strategically and quickly, to re-establish Toronto's position."

 Hear that, Fox? Canada needs Dragon Ball Z.