Quebec announces $51 million for Film Industry

A whole lot of Film and TV productions across the globe have come to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic. The lack of insurance is one of the reasons that has left the entertainment industry in a tight bind. Many film and TV companies in Canada could not resume shooting due to the shortfall of insurance coverage for coronavirus. Thus, the province of Quebec has come up with a temporary program to support the entertainment producers. The cultural ministry of Quebec has announced to offer a $51 million stimulus program. This program will be administered by the SODEC (Society for the Development of Cultural Enterprises). Through this program, the ministry will finance the film industry. It will also support producers whose business is affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Also Read: US film and TV productions are to resume shooting in Canada This program is a fragment of Quebec’s Cultural Economic Recover Plan to support the audio-visual media to recover from the harsh impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program features two essential factors:

Providing temporary aid for maintaining the production capacity of the audiovisual and broadcasting sector
Providing temporary aid for productions so that they can resume their filming after being affected by the pandemic.

This program is a crucial step adopted by Quebec as it will lend a helping hand to French-language producers whose talent is interrupted by “under-funding”.

Filming in Quebec: All you need to Know

TV and Film workers from overseas are exempt from the requirement of a Quebec Acceptance Certificate, which is a necessary document that allows an individual to work in Quebec legally. Workers related to the TV and film industry can move to Quebec and work there with the help of the Significant Benefit Work Permit. ignificant Benefit Work Permit: Foreign nationals who provide a significant social, cultural, or economic benefit to Canada are eligible to get a work permit in Canada without the requirement of a Labor Market Impact Assessment by an employer. This type of work permit is known as Significant Benefit Work Permit. An LMIA is a necessary document that is generally obtained by Canadian employers before hiring foreign talent. Quebec acknowledges the cultural as well as economic benefits that are received by giving LMIA-free work permits for certain sectors. Night At The Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, The Day After Tomorrow, and The Trotsky are some of the famous Hollywood movies that were shot in the province of Quebec. So, this new stimulus program will work in the favor of producers in Quebec and they will be able to offer a quality production.