Development

The Canada Media Fund (CMF) supports the development and pre-development of Canadian content mainly through its Development Program. This program is part of the CMF’s Convergent Stream; thus, projects funded through this program must include content to be developed for distribution on at least two platforms, one of which must be television and the other, digital media. Development funds have been earmarked in other Convergent Stream programs as well. Funding from this program is allocated through broadcaster envelopes. French-language development funding was distributed through envelopes for the first time in 2012-2013; previously this funding was committed through a selective process.

In 2012-2013, the CMF contributed $10.1M to 226 convergent development projects. English-language projects received $7.3M, 79.0% of which was spent on drama projects. Documentary and drama development showed year-over-year increases in English funding, documentary receiving the second-largest portion. French-language projects received $2.9M, of which 45.7% was spent on drama projects and 35.0% on documentary projects.

Convergent Envelope Funding by Genre and Language

	2010-2011			2011-2012			2012-2013
	Funding ($K)	Number of projects	Budgets ($K)	Funding ($K)	Number of projects	Budgets ($K)	Funding ($K)	Number of projects	Budgets ($K)
Children's & Youth	943	31	1,961	1,067	33	2,295	657	22	1,178
Documentary	540	41	1,134	648	42	1,368	715	35	1,460
Drama	5,345	108	10,829	5,390	96	10,597	5,744	75	10,970
Variety & Performing Arts	203	3	434	150	3	250	157	5	238
English Envelopes	7,031	183	14,358	7,255	174	14,510	7,273	137	13,846
Children's & Youth	190	6	328	353	12	598	452	13	829
Documentary	1,231	41	2,354	1,030	46	1,850	1,002	54	1,834
Drama	1,731	34	4,227	1,574	19	3,666	1,312	20	2,975
Variety & Performing Arts	0	0	0	74	2	154	102	2	256
French Envelopes	3,152	81	6,909	3,031	79	6,268	2,868	89	5,894
Total	10,183	264	21,267	10,286	253	20,778	10,141	226	19,740

 

Regional Development

The English Regional Pre-development program was established in 2012-2013 in response to stakeholders’ proposals to sustain the vitality of regional production by supporting producers in their preparation of documents to present to broadcasters at the early stages of development.  A total of 93 projects were funded at an average of $15K per project. The majority of funding went to documentaries, 46.2% or $623K. Dramas received $508K or 37.7%. British Columbia received the largest portion of funding at 39.4%. The balance of funding was distributed from coast to coast.

$216K in development funding was committed to 15 projects in Quebec outside of Montreal through the French Regional Development Program. Funding to French development outside of Quebec is administered through the Francophone Minority Program.

English Regional Pre-development by Genre 2012-2013

	Funding ($K)	Number of projects
Children's & Youth	203	14
Documentary	623	42
Drama	508	36
Variety & Performing Arts	15	1
Total	1,349	93

 

English Regional Pre-development by region 2012-2013

	Funding ($K)	%
AB	191	14.2
BC	532	39.4
MB	105	7.8
Montreal	144	10.7
NB	9	0.7
NL	60	4.4
NS	195	14.4
ON	88	6.5
SK	25	1.9
Total	1,349	100.0

 

Regional French Development 2012-2013

	Funding ($K)	Number of projects
Total	216	15

 

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