ONTARIO PRODUCTION INCENTIVES
Ontario is a study in contrasts. The varied landscape includes the vast, rocky and mineral-rich Canadian Shield, which separates the fertile farmland in the south and the grassy lowlands of the north.
Ontario Film, Television & Digital Media Incentives and Funding
The Film and Television Stream is designed to increase film and television industry jobs and investment and to increase quality, original film and television productions produced in Northern Ontario, while showcasing its culture, geography, stories and talent.
- Film & Television Stream
The NOHFC Film and Television Stream is designed to encourage quality media productions that will raise the profile of Northern Ontario. Priority will be given to productions featuring Northern Ontario culture and stories, Northern Ontario talent, and which are set in Northern Ontario. Find out more here.
Find out more about NOHFC.
The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) provides grants to Ontario-based individual artists and arts professionals, ad hoc groups, collectives and organizations. Grants support a range of arts activities and disciplines.
- Media Artists Creation Projects
The NOHFC Film and Television Stream is designed to encourage quality media productions that will raise the profile of Northern Ontario. Priority will be given to productions featuring Northern Ontario culture and stories, Northern Ontario talent, and which are set in Northern Ontario. Find out more here. - Media Arts Projects
The program supports not-for-profit organizations and ad hoc groups, collectives that present, document or disseminate the work of professional Ontario media artists, or that provide media artists with professional development opportunities. Find out more info here.
Find out more about the Ontario Arts Council
Ontario Creates’ support provides opportunities for film producers to develop and produce new projects, and for film & TV producers to develop international partnerships, export their content, and access new markets to grow their business. Support is also available to established trade organizations for events and activities that stimulate the growth of Ontario's film & TV production industry.
- Film Fund - Production
The Ontario Creates Film Fund supports a range of projects across genres with both industrial and cultural benefits. Ontario Creates measures the results of the Ontario Creates Film Fund primarily based on net benefit from the proposed project to the province which includes but is not limited to return on investment and jobs created in the Ontario film industry. Find out more here. - Film Fund - Development
The Ontario Creates Film Fund, Development Stream is intended to support development activities that lead to the increase of domestic feature film production in Ontario. The Film Fund provides support to Ontario producers for all stages of development activities. Projects/Producers who meet the eligibility criteria for the Ontario Creates Film Fund can apply for Development support to a maximum of $25,000 for the selected stage of development. Find out more here. - Film Fund - Marketing & Distribution Initiative
Available during fiscal 2023-24, this initiative is intended to support strategies and tactics that are an extension of traditional marketing and distribution activities and/or innovative exploitation strategies that enhance and build audience and revenue. These strategies and tactics can work independently and/or in conjunction with pre-existing distribution and licensor strategies. Find out more here.
Find out more: Ontario Creates
The OFTTC is a refundable tax credit based upon eligible Ontario labour expenditures incurred by a qualifying production company with respect to an eligible Ontario production. The OFTTC is generally “harmonized” with the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit.
The OFTTC is generally calculated as 35% of the eligible Ontario labour expenditures incurred by a qualifying production company with respect to an eligible Ontario production. An enhanced credit rate of 40% on the first $240,000 of qualifying labour expenditure is available for first-time producers. Productions that are shot in Ontario entirely outside of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), or that have at least five location days in Ontario (or in the case of a television series, the number of location days is at least equal to the number of episodes), and at least 85% of the location days in Ontario are outside the GTA, receive a 10% bonus on all Ontario labour expenditures incurred for the production. Wholly animated productions which create at least 85% of key animation in Ontario outside of the GTA qualify for the regional bonus.
Find out more: Ontario Film & Television Tax Credit
Canada also offers numerous funding options and incentives at a national level. Click here to see what's available.