LOS ANGELES – A delegation from British Columbia is arriving in Los Angeles to highlight the advantages of partnering with the film and TV industry on Canada’s West Coast and to explore the benefits of staging productions in B.C.

“We want to bring the biggest productions we can to B.C. so the talented and hard-working people in the industry can continue to find good work with a good paycheque,” said Spencer Chandra Herbert, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. “When productions choose to film in our province, they bring opportunities for skilled workers and businesses that strengthen our economy.”

The mission, led by Screen BC, will include Chandra Herbert, Nina Krieger, Parliamentary Secretary for Arts and Film, and Brenda Bailey, Minister of Finance. This is an opportunity to highlight B.C.’s commitment to working with the motion-picture sector and position the province as a top location for film and television production.

“B.C.’s film industry is essential to our economy and our communities,” Bailey said. “We are getting to work right away to ensure the film industry continues to choose B.C. as a leading destination for filmmakers worldwide.”

The timing of this visit is crucial as it provides studio decision-makers with the critical information about the value of filming in B.C. they need for their production planning. The Province will continue to look for ways to enhance B.C.’s competitiveness, such as through available tax incentives.

With the province’s highly skilled crews, extensive infrastructure and natural scenery, B.C. wants to maintain competitiveness in attracting high-profile productions, such as The Last of Us Season 2 and Shōgun Season 1, which were filmed in dozens of locations throughout B.C., creating economic benefits for workers and local economies.

British Columbia is one of North America’s largest motion-picture hubs. According to studies commissioned by the sector, the industry is supporting more than 47,500 jobs and contributed $3.3 billion to B.C.’s total GDP in 2022. With approximately 80% of production activity in B.C. being foreign service work, strong international relationships are vital to sustaining and growing the film and TV industry.

A backgrounder follows.

Screen BC is a non-profit organization representing 140 motion-picture industry members dedicated to industry advocacy and community engagement to ensure a strong future for B.C.’s motion-picture production sector.

• Screen BC leads an annual mission to Los Angeles to advance B.C. as a filming destination and strengthen relationships.

In 2022, the Motion Picture Association-Canada members, including Disney, Paramount, Sony, NBC Universal, Warner Bros (HBO) and Netflix, spent $1.7 billion on local production-related goods and services throughout B.C., supporting more than 20,000 businesses, such as catering, construction supplies, accommodations, local rentals and transportation.

B.C. offers two motion-picture tax credits: the Production Services Tax Credit and Film Incentive BC.

• B.C.’s motion-picture tax credits are labour-based, calculated based on production spending used to pay people in British Columbia.
• In 2023-24, the film industry in B.C. received approximately $909 million in tax credits from the Province.