Welcome to the City of Toronto website

"Toronto and Ontario are still the envy of many cities and states. Great expertise, the breadth of production options and consistent tax credits make the difference." -- Miles Dale, Producer Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Toronto is at the heart of the province's film and television production sector. This dynamic sector is an outlet for creativity and talent; a place where not only actors, but also other specialists such as designers, carpenters, make-up artists, animators and writers can hone their craft and thrive.

Toronto's film and television cluster ranks third in North America. Many high-profile film productions have been shot here, and the city is a lead exporter of TV programming. A critical draw for producers is the city's wealth of experienced, creative and technical talent. Most recently, tent-pole films have set up at the city's state-of-the-art Pinewood Toronto Studios. Experience and an emerging expertise in stereoscopic production, with successes such as Saw VII, Resident Evil: Afterlife and Gnomeo and Juliet is contributing to Toronto's reputation as a place to be for 3D. Add award-winning technicians and the ease of shooting in a diverse range of locations and it's no surprise that Toronto's film and TV industry is thriving.

• Quick cuts
• Resident pool of creative and technical talent
• Incentives
• Studio space
• Accessing companies and Labour
• Support systems
• Testimonials

Quick cuts

• The cluster contributes $1 billion annually to the local economy
• The highly developed infrastructure provides state-of-the-art facilities and services from pre-production through post-production
• More than $900 million was spent on film and television productions shot in Toronto in 2010; including $726.5 million on major productions and $89.7 million on commercials
• Annual television series production increased by 31% in 2010
• In 2010, the City's Film and Television Office issued 3,081 location filming permits for 1,502 projects, totalling 5,227 days of shooting
• Toronto is not only a great place to make film – but it's also a terrific place to celebrate film. Each year, over 70 film festivals are held in Toronto in more than 20 languages. There is something for everyone
• TIFF, in its 38th year and with more than 300 films exhibited to 350,000 ticket holders, has emerged as the second most significant festival in the world and the place to gauge audience response.

Resident pool of creative and technical talent

• The concentration of quality animation studios accounted for an estimated $85.3 million in production in 2010
• Overall, the film and television industry in Toronto employs more than 25,000 people.
• The city has a thriving live-theatre industry and there are 15,000 members in the Toronto branch of the performers' guild (ACTRA).
• Toronto is a centre for post-production work, special effects and emerging technology. Many Toronto-based companies are internationally renowned as suppliers of incredible animation (both 3-D and 2-D) and cutting-edge visual and special effects
• Over 800 businesses are active in all aspects of film and television, including production and distribution, music publishing and recording, and radio and television.
• The more than 200 theatre companies provide opportunities to maintain and enhance skills of performers and crew.
• Toronto schools - such as York University, Ryerson Polytechnic University, the Canadian Film Centre, Seneca College, Centennial College and Humber College - produce many talented graduates who supplement Toronto's growing crew base, animators and visual effects professionals.

Incentives

Filming in Toronto has its benefits. Film partners capitalize on Ontario's enhanced tax credits, saving up to 45% on qualified labour and up to 35.2% on total production costs.

• As much as a 45% credit on eligible labour expenditures via the stackable:
  • 25% Ontario Production Services Tax Credit
  • 20% Ontario Computer Animation and Special Effects Tax Credit; and
  • 16% Federal Film or Video Production Services tax credit
• There is no individual cap per production and no limit on the number of productions that can access the credit.

Domestic and Treaty Co-production tax credits

• 35% tax credit on eligible Ontario labour expenditures via the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit (OFTTC)
• 25% Federal tax credit for domestic productions via the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit
• 20% additional credit on eligible Ontario labour involved in all computer animation, VFX work and on-set green screen shooting (OCASE)

Studio space

• Approximately 900,000 square feet of space to accommodate a full range of large and small productions
• New state-of-the-art sound stages at Toronto Pinewood Studios is the world's largest purpose-built sound stage
• A new and emerging studio and back lot centre at Cinespace's Kipling Avenue Studios.

Accessing companies and Labour

• General company listings can be found in both the OMDC's Ontario Production Guide 2011/12 and Fonebook
• FilmOntario, the industry's largest consortium and strongest voice on behalf of the sector, links to many of the major suppliers
• The Computer Animation Studios of Ontario (CASO), an association of animation and visual effects companies in Toronto and Ontario, lists and provides links to 20 member companies as well as showcases some of their work
• Toronto is the hub for Canadian television broadcasters. The major national networks have their corporate offices in the city. CBC; Bell Globe Media – CTV; Shaw – Global; Rogers Communications
• Toronto has a full range of labour organizations who provide both in front of the camera performers and the award-winning behind the camera professionals
  • ACTRA
  • Directors Guild (DGC)
  • International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)
    • www.iatse411.ca
    • www.iatse667.com
    • www.iatse873.com
  • NABET 700