Investing in Newfoundland and Labrador’s growing film industry

Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador invest over $2 million combined to support independent filmmaking organizations

St. John’s – With Newfoundland and Labrador providing the ultimate cinematic backdrop and an international reputation for production excellence, the province’s film industry is poised for long-term success. The federal and provincial governments are investing to help industry grow, compete and reach new markets – at home and abroad.

Federal and provincial support strengthens film industry

Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA, along with Joanne Thompson, Member of Parliament for St. John’s East, announced two investments totalling just over $1.5 million for the Newfoundland Independent Filmmakers Co-operative Limited (NIFCO) and PictureNL (formerly known as the Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation). The Honourable Steve Crocker, Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation, also announced $499,000 for NIFCO.

These investments will help NIFCO upgrade production facilities and equipment to meet current industry standards and remain competitive in the digital innovation space. With these improvements, NIFCO will be able to better support filmmakers with enhanced media storage, picture, sound, and professional development. The investment will also help PictureNL conduct business activities to promote the industry in targeted markets, regionally and internationally. Both the federal and provincial governments are committed to building up the industry all across Atlantic Canada. This will strengthen Atlantic Canada’s film and television industry, opening the door to direct and indirect economic benefits across all sectors.