Written by on Aug 6, 2015. Posted in Incentive News

Saskatchewan increases per-production incentive payment cap

Saskatchewan in central Canada has increased the amount of money it will offer to eligible productions seeking filming incentive support. The Creative Saskatchewan Investment Fund will now offer up to CAD 600,000, a sharp increase from the previous limit of CAD 250,000.

Around CAD 10 million of support has been channelled into the fund since it was launched in 2013. Half of this money has been allocated to the screen sector.

In fact, given that film projects are eligible for up to 30% of their Saskatchewan spend, only productions spending about CAD 2 million will be eligible for the top figure of CAD 600,000. Mike MacNaughton, chair of Creative Saskatchewan, revealed to the Regina Leader-Post that about one in five shoots filming in Saskatchewan spend more than CAD 2 million.

“The government of Saskatchewan has determined that this is taxpayers money that we are dealing with here,” MacNaughton told the outlet: “They want to be very, very careful with where this money is going and making sure that it is going to viable projects that are going to do well.”

Saskatchewan cancelled a formal filming incentive programme in 2012 and then launched a grant system a year or so later after an outcry that reached Hollywood.

Canada’s production industry has broad international appeal spearheaded by generous provincial filming incentives. Location filming is focussed in Vancouver in the west and Toronto in the east. Alberta is steadily building an industry in Calgary and has gained a profile boost hosting the TV adaptation of Fargo. Montreal is having success with the X-Men franchise.

(Image: Creative Saskatchewan)