Canadian TV Production Reached All-Time High in 2012

OTTAWA: Canadian television productions reached an all-time high in 2011-12, rising 21.3 percent to nearly C$2.6 billion, according to a new report published by the Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA).

English-language fiction led this rise in activity, with the volume increasing by 41.4 percent to just under C$1.1 billion. This was largely due to higher average hourly budgets, rather than more projects. Home-grown Canadian productions grew by 5.6 percent to a ten-year high of C$5.9 billion. Foreign locations and services (FLS) production dipped 10.6 percent to C$1.68 billion.

There were higher levels of foreign financing for the year, with increases of C$73 million for 2011-12, accounting for 9 percent of total financing. Private Canadian financing grew by C$41 million and accounted for 10 percent of total financing. Canadian distributors increased their investments in Canadian films and TV programs for the year. In total, these three sources added C$265 million in financing for Canadian film and TV production, bringing the total value of their combined annual investment to C$943 million.

These figures are from the “Profile 2012: An Economic Report on the Screen-based Production Industry in Canada,” published by the CMPA.