Starz Animation Receives Canadian Funding

TORONTO: The Government of Ontario’s Next Generation of Jobs Fund has granted $23 million in financing to Starz Animation Toronto, which recently wrapped Universal/Focus Features’ 9 and is working on Miramax Films’ Gnomeo & Juliet.

The studio, established in 2007, was granted the funds as part of the government’s bid to stimulate growth and create opportunities for Ontario workers. Led by David Steinberg, Starz Animation Toronto currently employs 220 people. “Starz Animation Toronto is on course to become a world centre of excellence that produces exceptional quality animation work," said Robert B. Clasen, the chairman and CEO of Starz. "We are thrilled with the endorsement and funding we have received from the Government of Ontario and their recognition that our state-of-the-art studio in Toronto is an important economic generator for this province."

The studio’s current projects include Gnomeo & Juliet, from Miramax Films’ and Elton John and David Furnish’s Rocket Pictures. Directed by Kelly Asbury (Shrek 2), it features classic and new music from Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and the voices of James McAvoy and Emily Blunt.

The Next Generation of Jobs Fund is a five-year initiative launched by the Government of Ontario to provide funding to help innovative companies grow and create sustainable jobs for Ontario’s highly skilled workers.