What’s in-store for Alberta’s film industry?
Emma Duke, Staff writer
When you think of the booming film industry, you probably think of places like Hollywood, Vancouver, Toronto or Montréal. But recent projects, funding, and developments are putting Calgary on the map.
In 2022, film making magazine Moviemaker named Calgary as the 10th best place to work and live as a filmmaker. This is partially thanks to the $70 million the government allocated to the Alberta film industry in 2022/23, and the removal of the $10 million cap-per-project that was done in 2020.
The removal of the $10 million cap-per-project rule, and Alberta’s tax credit incentive, attracted big name productions to Calgary, like HBO’S The Last of Us (now available on Crave), Reitman’s Ghostbusters: The Afterlife and FX Production’s Under the Banner of Heaven.
The province’s tax credit incentive offers film corporations a refundable tax credit certificate on production and labor costs. The funding has also allowed for new infrastructure to be built in the city. Two new sound stages are opening in March. The Alberta film industry will receive more money in the coming years: $75 million in 2023/24, and $80 million in 2024/25.
In an interview with CBC, Damian Petti, President of The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) says there is a misconception that film production crews are hired from out of province. Film production crews are more commonly hired locally, Petti tells CBC. This means that as the film industry continues to strengthen in Calgary, there will be more job opportunities for Calgarians on film sets.
