Today, the City of Toronto announced that Toronto is among the top places to live and work in the film industry, according to MovieMaker magazine. Ranked number two on MovieMaker’s list of the “Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker in 2022,” Toronto moved up 10 spots on the list since last year – a leap that is more than double that of its closest competitor.
Toronto is a preeminent centre of production and post-production excellence, and the city’s industry is experiencing rapid growth as a result. Toronto’s production volume grew 10 per cent year-over-year for each of the three years prior to COVID-19. During the pandemic, production in Toronto remained strong due to the collaboration between unions, guilds, employers and governments on health and safety guidelines, which kept the industry open and strong. Looking forward, growth is poised to intensify, as studio space is projected to grow 63 per cent by 2025, with major investments made by the City and by global studio operators who recognize Toronto’s value proposition as a global film city. This will be a key part of Toronto’s strong economic recovery that is so crucial in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As Toronto is one of the most diverse cities in the world, the screen industry in Toronto is focusing on inclusive growth, with equity and inclusion being at the forefront of the City’s workforce development partnerships with unions, community organizations and school boards. Toronto is home to an incredibly skilled workforce and unions have been increasing their membership, calibrated to meet demand, and scaling up workforce development programs at all levels to prepare for rapid growth.
Provincial and municipal support and partnership, including stable and generous tax credits, are an essential element of Toronto’s success, and the success of other production hotspots throughout Ontario.
MovieMaker compiles its annual list based on surveys, production spending, tax incentives, additional research and personal visits, whenever possible. More information about the “Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker in 2022” list is available on the Moviemaker website.
Screen industry infrastructure and workforce are set to expand significantly in the coming years and this creative, collaborative and increasingly diverse industry can be complex to navigate, especially at the beginning of one’s career. More information about careers in Toronto’s film industry are available on the City’s Careers in the Toronto Film Industry webpage.
More information about the City’s Film Office is available at Toronto.ca/Film.
Quotes:
“We are delighted to see Toronto ranked so highly on MovieMaker’s list of best places to live and make movies. Production in Toronto has been strong throughout the pandemic, due to the collaboration between all levels of government and industry partners. The City will continue to prioritize inclusive growth and the expansion of film studio space, to support a thriving screen industry in Toronto. We know supporting a strong film industry here in Toronto is one way we are working to ensure our city comes back stronger than ever from the pandemic.”
– Mayor John Tory
“This ranking reinforces the City’s prioritization of inclusive growth and the expansion of studio space. We are committed to working with all levels of government and our industry partners to develop and ensure that Toronto’s screen industry workforce reflects Toronto’s diversity, so that we can continue to attract and tell these stories.”
– Councillor Paula Fletcher (Toronto Danforth), Chair of the Film, Television and Digital
Media Advisory Board
“The film industry is playing an increasingly important role in the strength of Toronto’s economy, especially as we work to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Toronto’s ranking as a top MovieMakers location recognizes the ongoing international demand for our studio space and talent, not only through the pandemic but well into the future. I encourage anyone interested in a career in film to check out the resources available on our City website.”
– Deputy Mayor Michael Thompson (Scarborough Centre), Chair of the Economic and Community Development Committee
“This exciting recognition is a testament to Toronto’s incredible and diverse creators and crews, and to everyone invested in expanding our workforce and studio space. Toronto is a leading global centre for production because the City and the industry work together to make this a place where creators from everywhere, whether emerging or working at the highest level globally, can find everything they need to make the content the world wants to see.”
– Marguerite Pigott, Film Commissioner and Director of Entertainment Industries, City of Toronto
“We are thrilled to see Toronto recognized as one of the best places to live and work as a moviemaker! The film and television industry is booming across Ontario, thanks to competitive financial incentives, diverse locations, growing soundstage infrastructure, and leading sustainable production initiatives, like our Ontario Green Screen Program. And, of course, we are incredibly proud of Ontario’s talented film workers for their extraordinary efforts to ensure our screen industries continued to operate safely during an extremely challenging time.”
– Karen Thorne-Stone, President and CEO, Ontario Creates
“Wow. Toronto shot up 10 slots since last year to number two, thanks to growing production spending in spite of the pandemic, a thriving film culture fueled by the Toronto International Film Festival, generous tax credits and highly skilled crews. With plans to dramatically increase its number of sound stages, the sky’s the limit. And Toronto is, of course, one of the most beloved and livable cities in North America, assuring a great quality of life and work-life balance.”
– Tim Molloy, Editor-in-Chief, MovieMaker
Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit the City’s website or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.