Canadian Actors Group Accepts New Deal

TORONTO: As its American counterpart prepares to ballot members, the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) has accepted the terms of a renewal of its agreement with the Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA) and the Association des producteurs de films et de television du Quebec (APFTQ).

The tentative agreement gives performers a rate increase of 2 percent each year for three years, while the balance of the Independent Production Agreement’s (IPA) terms and conditions remain unchanged. It covers performers in film, TV and new-media productions in Canada, excluding British Columbia. If ratified, it runs from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2012, and includes a provision to reopen new-media provisions a year before the deal’s expiration. "Both ACTRA and the producers worked long and hard to negotiate the terms of the current IPA," said ACTRA’s chief negotiator and national executive director, Stephen Waddell. "The current agreement is one of the best in the world. We saw no reason to make substantive changes to it at this time."

"Given these uncertain economic times, both sides agreed that it was in the industry’s best interest to work co-operatively to come to a quick, simple deal," said Richard Hardacre, the national president of ACTRA. Norm Bolen, the president and CEO of the CFTPA, added: "This agreement ensures continued stability in the Canadian film and television industry and clearly demonstrates the level of cooperation and understanding that the producers and the union have achieved."

ACTRA represents 21,000 members across Canada.