A photo of the third canyon landscape on the Nahanni River in the Northwest Territories - Canada.

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES PRODUCTION INCENTIVES

The Northwest Territories of Canada include the regions of Dehcho, North Slave, Sahtu, South Slave and Inuvik. Their remote landscape encompasses forest, mountains, Arctic tundra and islands in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Dehcho’s Nahanni National Park Reserve centers around the canyons of the South Nahanni River and 90m-high Virginia Falls. The regional capital, Yellowknife, is on the north shore of Great Slave Lake.

Northwest Territories Film, Television & Digital Media Incentives and Funding
Northwest Territories Film Commission
Funding

How does the Northwest Territories Film Commission support commercial film and media in the NWT? Check out this infographic to find out.

NWT PRODUCER INCENTIVE PILOT PROGRAM
This new pilot program supports NWT producers at the pre-development and development stages developing professional quality commercial projects to the point that they can be presented to broadcasters and other financiers.

Program Categories:

  • Pre-Development: up to $10,000 for expenses such as: Producer, script writer, or script editor fees, option fees or acquisition of rights, production of pitching materials etc.
  • Development: up to $25,000 for expenses such as: Location scouting, development of marketing plan and budget, operational overhead etc.

Learn more about the program here or read an FAQ on the program. Application forms can be found here.

NWT FILM AND MEDIA SECTOR FUNDING SCHEDULE 
Self-employed film producers in the NWT are eligible to apply for funding as entrepreneurs under the GNWT’s Support for Entrepreneurs and Economic Development (SEED) Program.

  • Film Development: Up to $10,000 a year to cover small production, trailer or pitch production costs.
  • Distribution and Promotion: up to $25,000 a year to cover promoting costs.
  • Production: Up to $25,000 a year to support commercial media productions.  
  • Special Partnerships: Up to $25,000 a year to support stakeholder partnerships.
Eligibility

NWT residents or NWT businesses engaged in commercial film and media sector production are eligible for assistance. Applicants should be able to demonstrate proficiency in the film and media sector.  Demonstrated proficiency could include one or more of the following:

  • Completion of a degree or certificate from a recognized film and media arts program at least two years in length;
  • Completing a production that won an award, or placed highly, in a competition designed to solicit non-professional entries;
  • A credited role (director, producer, etc.) in a production that has been professionally released; 
  • Documented experience working in the in the film, television and media arts industry; or
  • A registered Full Member of the NWT Professional Media Association.

Please refer to the Film and Media Sector Funding Schedule Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) supporting document for further clarification including ineligible projects and activities. 

Deadlines

Applications are accepted year-round. Funding is distributed on a first-come-first-served basis with funds replenishing on April 1st of each year.

Find out more: Northwest Territories Film Commission

Northwest Territories Film Rebate Program

We offer financial incentives to productions filming on location in our territory. Our program categories include 25 to 40 per cent cash rebate for the purchase of good and services, travel to and within NWT, and wages for training and hiring local residents, particularly in film industry positions. To encourage production across the territory, the program also provides increased incentive for productions filming outside of Yellowknife.

Rebate Program Categories:

NWT Labour and Training Rebate

  • 25 per cent rebate for eligible NWT Labour
  • An additional 15 per cent rebate for Recognized Positions or NWT Resident candidates receiving on-set training

Our Suppliers Guide has a complete listing of local professionals, businesses and organizations with film production expertise in NWT. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at nwtfilm@gov.nt.ca, or by phone at 1-844-NWT-FILM.

NWT Expenditure Rebate

  • 25 per cent rebate for all Goods and Services that qualify as NWT spending purchased and consumed in the NWT
  • An additional 15 per cent rebate for Goods and Services for productions shooting outside Yellowknife

NWT Travel Rebate

  • 10 per cent rebate for travel to and from the NWT from anywhere in the world
  • 35 per cent rebate for travel within the NWT (excluding aerial photography)

Travel costs for a non-NWT Residents may not be eligible in cases where a qualified NWT crew member could have been hired instead.  NWT Travel Rebate amount may not exceed $15,000 per production.

Find out more: Northwest Territories Film Commission

Canada also offers numerous funding options and incentives at a national level. Click here to see what’s available.