Cultural Supports Program — Film and Television Stream

The Cultural Supports Program — Film and Television Stream offers robust financial support to incentivize and nurture film and television productions in Northern Ontario. It aims to ensure significant on-ground economic contributions while encouraging cultural representation and storytelling.

• Conditional contributions cover up to 50% of eligible production costs.
• Support is capped at various levels based on total production budget: up to $500,000 for productions under $5 million, up to $1,000,000 for budgets between $5 million and $10 million, and up to $2,000,000 for budgets above $10 million.
• Eligibility for funding requires that production costs are incurred within Northern Ontario, including labor and production-specific goods and services.
• Financial contributions are determined by the project's assessed Northern Ontario Benefits and Production Strength, as well as the assessed economic impact within the region.

Eligibility for this grant is determined by specific requirements related to the applicant's profile and rights ownership.

• The production company must be a Canadian corporation which is Canadian controlled.
• The production company must own all, or a majority of the rights necessary to exploit and produce the production.
• Applicants must receive a producer credit on the project.

Who is eligible?

Who is not eligible

Projects not in line with the objectives of the Film and Television Stream are not eligible for the grant. The focus is on fostering content that showcases and contributes significantly to Northern Ontario's film and television industry.

• Companies involved in producing unscripted media content, such as reality TV, live sports, news, or improvisational comedy.
• Organizations producing advertisements, partisan content, fundraising videos, or industry-targeted videos not meant for broader consumption.
• Production companies creating content with excessive violence, sexually explicit content, or materials that encourage hatred, intolerance, violence, or criminal activities.

Eligible expenses

Eligible projects for the Film and Television Stream focus on enhancing the film and television sector in Northern Ontario through high-quality productions that reflect the region's unique characteristics. The program supports a variety of projects that contribute to local cultural representation and industry growth.

• Theatrical feature films.
• Scripted television series.
• Made-for-television movies.
• Documentaries.

Eligible geographic areas

This grant aims to foster the film and television industry specifically in Northern Ontario. Eligible projects and associated expenditures must occur within this region to qualify for funding.

• Projects that engage with and benefit Northern Ontario communities.
• Expenditures incurred within Northern Ontario.

The evaluation and selection of projects for the NOHFC Film and Television Stream are based on criteria designed to assess the alignment with Northern Ontario's cultural and economic goals as well as the applicant's ability to execute the project.

• Projected economic impact on Northern Ontario, including employment potential and local expenditures.
• Length of shoot and the extent to which post-production is sourced from Northern Ontario.
• Cultural significance of the project to Northern Ontario and the ability to showcase Northern Ontario stories.
• Experience and history of the applicant working in Northern Ontario, including engagement with local talents.
• Feasibility concerning budget, financing, project scope, and distribution plan.
• Marquee value of cast and quality of creative content proposed.
• Credibility of the marketing plan, including distributor's capability and track record.

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

• The NOHFC Film and Television Stream aims to encourage vendors to establish businesses in Northern Ontario to support the local industry.
• A commitment from a qualified and experienced distributor or broadcaster must be secured at the time of application.
• Applicants are encouraged to provide on-set training for crew members by partnering with Northern post-secondary institutions, industry organizations, or unions.
• Only rentals from vendors located in Northern Ontario are eligible costs.