The Government of Canada Increases Support for the Audiovisual Sector for Production Stoppages Caused by COVID-19 Français
The Government of Canada maintains its commitment to supporting the economic recovery of the Canadian audiovisual industry
GATINEAU, QC, May 21, 2021 /CNW/ - Artists play an important role in Canada's social, cultural and economic development. As the audiovisual production industry enters its busiest time of year, it is important that we continue to support this vital economic sector, which employs Canadians across the country.
The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage, announced an increase of $49 million to the Short-Term Compensation Fund (STCF) for Canadian audiovisual productions. This will bring the STCF's coverage capacity to $149 million until March 31, 2022, and will continue to support the industry's economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister Guilbeault and Christa Dickenson, Executive Director of Telefilm Canada, made the announcement at the Canadian Screen Awards, which bring together industry stakeholders to recognize excellence in Canadian film and television production.
Increased investment in the STCF will allow more productions to make use of the program to meet their shooting schedules, particularly in the sector's busiest seasons of spring and summer. Telefilm Canada, which administers the program, will continue to compensate production companies whose filming is shut down or interrupted as a result of a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis on the set or an outbreak among the production team.
In February, the Government of Canada announced an extension of and increase in the STCF in order to continue to assist producers in this sector and compensate for the lack of insurance coverage for COVID-19-related downtime.
Quotes
"We know the Canadian film and television industry is still struggling. We are aware of the difficulties and challenges Canadian producers are currently facing, which is why we are adjusting our measures to help them as quickly as possible. In these uncertain times, this dynamic industry continues to be there for Canadians. We will continue our efforts to support it."
—The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage
"This additional support is essential for productions and will have a significant impact on our industry, in the short and long run. The 369 applications processed by Telefilm and the many more we expect to receive in the near future demonstrate that the industry is regaining its vitality and needs to be supported more than ever."
—Christa Dickenson, Executive Director, Telefilm Canada
Quick Facts
The STCF is a temporary measure administered by Telefilm Canada, intended to fill the void left by the lack of insurance coverage for filming interruptions and production shutdowns due to confirmed COVID-19 cases on film sets. To find out about STCF eligibility criteria, visit the Telefilm Canada website.
Since its launch last fall, the STCF has received 369 applications representing over $248.7 million in production coverage, which represents a volume of $1.2 billion in production activities. To date, a total of seven insurance claims due to COVID-related production interruptions have been submitted, totalling less than $1 million.
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Associated Links
Short-Term Compensation Fund for Canadian Audiovisual Productions
SOURCE Canadian Heritage
(media only), please contact: Camille Gagné-Raynauld, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, [email protected]; Media Relations: Canadian Heritage, 819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [email protected]; Joyce Richards, Advisor, Public Relations - English Market, Telefilm Canada, 647-475-4903, [email protected]
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