Recent film, TV projects bringing $482M to Alberta's economy

Alberta's TV and film industry is projected to double this year with net production values of $995 million andan anticipated $482 million in spending to the province.

Wynonna Earp, Under the Banner of Heaven and a Fraggle Rock reboot are just some of the productions that have recently chosen to film in Alberta.

"We want those television series in particular to come into Alberta because television series is how you build out the industry. It's year-over-year production. It's not, kind of, that one, big hit movie," Doug Schweitzer, the minister of jobs, economy and innovation, said.

Alberta's Film and Television Tax Credit launched last January to offereligibleprojects tax certificates of 22 or 30 per cent to help with the costof production and labour.

The provincial government says the $482 million is coming from the 50 productions who have used it so far,and those projects willgenerate9,000 jobs. That number is largely thanks to The Last of Us,an HBO series filmingin the Calgary area this summer.

Thatseries is the largest television production in Canadian history, representing more than $200 million in revenue for Alberta.

"The province's enhanced film and television production incentive has also made it an especially attractive destination for HBO," Jay Roewe, the company's senior vice president of production and incentives, said.

Industry estimates are that Alberta's film and TV sector will double 2020 records this year, according to Keep Alberta Rolling, an industry-promotingnon-profit.

"There's kind of that critical mass moment that's happening so that we can do more and train more people and and do bigger shows," Brock Skretting, the head of advocacy for the group, said.

"The expansion of the tax credit so far this year has resulted in [growth in] thesize of shows that even will look because it makes economic sense. So you look at companies like HBO, companies like Disney making larger series and those are those are the big employers and the big money spends that can really develop an industry."

The tax program was brought in after the UCP government cutthe former NDP government'sfilm credit from 30 per cent to 22 per cent. This spring the province removed the $10-million funding cap for projects. The budget has $50 million set aside this year to be granted.

Schweitzer says that money could balloon if the industry continues its exponential surge.

"Asexpenses expands and grows, we want to make sure we listen to industry and can work with them to make it a success long term," he said.

Alberta will be removing isolation and contact tracing requirements for people who test positive for COVID-19 on Aug. 16. The minister says the province will support any health measures keptin place by individual studios, adding when he visits one next week he'll be taking a rapid COVID test and wearing a mask.

"We want this industry to be successful and we'll work with them with what they need to be comfortable with any other health parameters that they need."

Schweitzer and Nate Horner, the associate minister of rural economic development, will be speaking about theindustry at an announcement Tuesday.

Canada's film industry is valued at around $3 billion, with Statistics Canada data showing that every $1 million in production spending in Alberta creates 13 jobs.