Regional Funding

By providing a number of incentives in its Convergent Stream programs, the Canada Media Fund (CMF) strives to support productions from outside Canada’s main production centres. In response to stakeholder proposals and in order to address the geographical dynamics that influence economic activity and decision-making, the definition of regional production for English-language projects was modified to reflect projects outside of Toronto, while regional production for French-language projects reflects projects outside of Montreal. All statistics presented here represent the new definition.

In 2012-2013, 43.5% of English-language production funding  which totaled $91.3M, went to the regions, a marked improvement from the previous two years, at 37.2% and 35.5%, respectively, and due, in part, to a $5.0M budget increase to the English Production Incentive program. Notably, 81.9% of the $91.3M in regional funding came through the Performance Envelope program.

French regional production funding (outside Montreal) remained stable at  16.0%. Francophone production outside Quebec received 10.1% of French-language funding, while Quebec production excluding Montreal received 5.9% of funding, a small increase from last year’s 4.9%.

Regional spending accounted for more than one-half of English development commitments, or $5.0M in total. This majority share is due in part to the establishment of the English regional pre-development program at $1.4M. More detail on this program’s results can be found in the development section of the report. French regional commitments were at 22.9% of total French development in 2012-2013.

CMF Production Funding by Region

Support to Regional Production by Program

English Production Incentive Program

The English Production Incentive (EPI) provides additional funding support to producers in areas of Canada where English-language production volumes have declined more than 20.0% below their five-year historical average. The program provides 10.0% of project budgets to a maximum of $1.0M. This program is part of the CMF’s Convergent Stream; thus, projects funded through this stream must include content to be produced for distribution on at least two platforms, one of which must be television and the other, digital media. Funding from this program is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis within each eligible province and territory.

In 2012-2013, the program was augmented by $5.0M, to a budget of $15.0M, 97.6% of the program allocation was spent under a new process that freed up designated provincial and territorial allocations to all eligible provinces and territories after a mid-October closing date. EPI funding contributed to 66 projects, triggering $257.0M in production budgets and 322 hours of television. Dramas received the largest portion of 2012-2013 program funding at 52.7%.

British Columbia received a 37.0% share of 2012-2013 funding; Quebec took a 26.0% share, Alberta 19.9%, with 11.6% to Nova Scotia and 5.5% to Manitoba.

EPI by Province

EPI by Genre