Arts and culture are essential, not only to performers, but to our economy and our society. The film, television and digital media industry in Ontario is big business.

Did you know?

• Ontario is one of the leading jurisdictions for film and television production in the world, consistently hosting 400+ productions annually.
• There is currently 3.85 million square feet of stage space in Ontario. An additional 1.6 million square feet is scheduled to be completed over the next few years in the Toronto, the surrounding areas and in Northern Ontario.
• Film and television production is active throughout Ontario. Many productions are filmed in more than one jurisdiction in the province, creating jobs and economic impact for local suppliers, vendors and talent.
• Toronto is a full-service production jurisdiction, with superb talent both in front of and behind the camera, including digital animation and special effects, and some of the industry’s best production and post-production facilities. Jobs created by film and TV production in the province include: technicians (ex. lighting, makeup, set designers, etc.) production managers and coordinators, location managers, craft services, accountants, performers and drivers.
• The film, television and digital media industry in Toronto set a record in 2022 with$2.6 billion in direct spending, employing more than 35,000 people.
• The film, television and digital media industry generates millions of dollars of additional spending in Toronto, related to agency costs for talent and in-house broadcaster production (e.g., news and public affairs programming).
• Ontario’s film industry is committed to environmentally sustainable action through the Ontario Green Screen (OGS) Initiative, a public/private partnership of 27 industry and government partners. OGS provides the tools, education and community necessary to make real sustainable change.

Ontario’s film and television production activity:

In 2024, Ontario’s film and television production industry contributed:

Ontario’s Film and Television industry rebounded by almost 40% in 2024 following a downturn in 2023 by almost 40%. Domestic Film and Television production drove 35% of total spending in Ontario, representing $905 million. Foreign Film and Television production rebounded from the 2023 labour disruptions with a spend increase of 86%, representing $1.65 billion.

Indicators suggest the production rebound will continue in 2025, however, shifting content strategies and budget cuts are defining a new normal for production levels moving forward.

Canada’s Film and Television Sector:

Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), in collaboration with the Department of Canadian Heritage, Telefilm Canada, the Association québécoise de la production médiatique (AQPM) and Nordicity, publishes its annual Profile report analyzing the economic activity of Canada’s screen-based production sector from the most recent production year (reporting period is: April 1-March 31).

Highlights from Profile 2024 are included below. Please note, Profile 2024 covers the 2023/24 fiscal year and reflects the impact of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes on Foreign production (location and service) (FLS) in Canada.