Ontario's film industry takes $IB hit

U.S. labour strife had ripple effect on provincial economy, but domestic productions held strong

- KRISTIN RUSHOWY

Hamilton has long been a popular choice to film Christmas movies, like "The Christmas Song," as it can stand in place of European or U.S. cities, with rural settings nearby.

After two blockbuster years, Ontario’s film productions took a hit in 2023 because of lengthy writer and actor strikes in the U.S.

Figures to be released Friday show while the sector gave the provincial economy a $1.8 billion boost last year, it was down more than 40 per cent when compared to $3.1 billion in 2022.

For the past few years, film and television productions have been on a roll in the province, hitting record amounts, though the province had braced for a drop in film and television productions given the job action south of the border in the summer and fall of 2023 that impacted work in Canada as well.

But Ontario Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport Neil Lumsden said the silver lining is that domestic productions held strong in 2023 — comprising more than half, or almost $948 million, of the economic benefit — which sets the stage for another strong performance this year.

“The impact is down — it was $1.8 billion — which seems like a lot when we are shooting for more, but then there are disruptions that happen,” he told the Star.

“But I have always felt that if you want to find out how good somebody or something is, as far as an industry or company, when things get tough you see what happens. And I’m thrilled by what is happening domestically and the productions and what was going on in Ontario.”

From the overall number “I was disappointed, but not discouraged — and there’s a difference.”