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 > OMDC > Ontario Film Commission

Ontario Film Commission


Why do filmmakers choose Ontario?

Because Ontario has everything you need to ensure that your shoot is successful!

Producers from all over the world come to Ontario to take advantage of:

  • favourable economic environment
  • the best technical and creative people in the industry
  • state of the art production facilities, equipment and studios
  • diverse locations to choose from
  • a variety of weather conditions
  • knowledgable industry professionals ready to help you at every turn

The Ontario Media Development Corporation can help you take your project from script to screen. We can scout locations, introduce you to the people you need to talk to, and consult with other agencies and officials on your behalf. What’s more, we can do all this at no cost to you. That's why we’re here.

This website has been created specifically for film and television industry professionals interested in producing in Ontario.

 

 

EXCELLENCE JUST GOT BETTER Thumbnail

     Everything you’ll need to make your production 
     a success is ready and waiting for you in Ontario.

Just the facts:

  • The Province of Ontario spans more than a million square miles or more than 2.5 million square kilometers.
  • Ontario's southernmost point is at the same latitude as northern California.
  • Toronto the capital of Ontario and Canada's largest city, is a safe, cosmopolitan, multicultural city with more than 5 million people living in the Greater Toronto Area.
  • Toronto is one hour by air to New York and shares a similar climate.
  • Ethnicallly diverse Ontario is home to more than 100 cultures
  • Ontario is Canada's second largest province and is bigger than France and Spain combined.
  • Ontario's most northerly communities are close to the same latitude as London, England and Warsaw, Poland.

 

Financial Advantages

Ontario has a proven track record of doing it right. Decades of experience, a quality infrastructure and reliable tax credits will save you time and money.

  • Ontario’s 25% services tax credit for eligible film and television productions, the Ontario Production Services Tax Credit (OPSTC) has recently been expanded beyond labour to include other eligible Ontario production expenditures.  The Federal government also offers an additional tax credit of 16% (for service productions).
  • The tax credit for domestic productions, the Ontario film and Television Tax Credit (OFTTC) continues to also be very attractive for both domestic and co-productions, providing a 35%  tax credit on eligible Ontario labour expenditures with an additional 10% regional bonus.  The federal government also offers 25% (for domestic productions) on your Canadain labour costs.
  • The Ontario Computer Animation and Special Effects Tax Credit (OCASE) of 20% for eligible labour on VFX and animation activities in Ontario including on-set labour costs for green screen shooting.

For service productions, these add up to:

  • Up to 37% (net) tax incentive on eligible labour (Federal and provincial combined)
    Plus
  • 25% on your eligible Ontario spend including all Post
    Plus
  • 20% additional for eligible labour on VFX and green screen work that stacks on top of the other credits.

All this with no surprises and the certainly you need, including NO caps and NO limits on the number of productions we support.

Detailed information on tax credits and eligibility requirements can be found here 
 

The People

You won’t have to look far to find hard working, dedicated professionals, both technical and creative, to go the extra mile to make your project happen.

As the film and television centre of Canada, Toronto (Ontario), has a workforce of 48,000 direct and indirect full time jobs in the Ontario film and television industry, as reported by the CFTPA. They are some of the most highly trained, flexible, cooperative men and women in the industry.

Toronto also boasts a sizeable talent pool of experienced film and television actors, musicians, dancers and musical performers, many who cut their professional teeth in the city's vibrant theatre community.

 

State of the art production facilities, equipment and studio space

Truly a “one stop shop” for film-makers, Toronto has many top quality sound stages, television studios, animation facilities, sound recording and post-production facilities as well as a variety of standing sets and warehouse spaces.

Complete details are available in the studios section of the Ontario Production Guide (pp 66 -83). Or for an updated copy of our Studio Availability list, please contact us at 416 314-6858.

 

Diverse Locations

In Toronto, you'll find steel and glass skyscrapers, European streetscapes, industrial buildings, an Ivy League style university, inner city neighbourhoods, a pioneer village, several ‘Chinatowns,’ and even a castle!

Thanks to the city’s ethnic, architectural and cultural diversity, stories set in New York, Boston, Washington, Chicago, Florida, Vienna, Warsaw, Tokyo and Teheran have been shot in Toronto.

To access a list of all the places Toronto has doubled for on screen, visit the Toronto Film And Television Office site.

Outside of Toronto, the province offers a remarkable array of diverse locations, from rolling farmland to northern wilderness and tundra. As well, we have many small and mid-sized towns that resemble the American Midwest and New England.

Ottawa, the nation’s capital, offers a number of unique locations including the Rideau Canal, the British-style Parliament buildings and the ultra modern National Gallery and Museum of Civilization.

For more information and access to our online database of thousands of Ontario locations, visit our new Digital Library – a great place to preview the wide selection of filming sites available in Ontario.

 

A Variety of Weather Conditions

Because of its size, Ontario's temperatures can vary tremendously from region to region and even within the regions themselves. Whether you’re shooting a Midwestern winter scene or southern California, we have the weather!

  • Generally, the weather is considered continental.
  • January/February, our coldest months often have lots of snow while July/August are our warmest months enjoy plenty of sunshine.
  • Temperatures are officially given in degrees Celsius (C) but the Fahrenheit equivalent (F) is frequently added.
  • In Toronto, the average January temperature is - 4.5C (24F) and the July average is 21.1C (72F).

For more weather details including monthly averages for Toronto and the cities of Windsor, Ottawa and Sudbury, representing various regions of the Province, as well as snow and rainfall averages please visit Weather Patterns

For customized weather services and sunrise/sunset information also see the Ontario Production Guide or Sunrise and Sunset information

For the latest weather reports for the Province Of Ontario please check Environment Canada’s Weather Office.

 

Friendly People

Besides all the financial incentives, the talent, the facilities and the locations, the citizens and businesses of Ontario enthusiastically embrace the film industry. In addition to helpful, polite citizens you will find a huge array of support services from caterers to florists and carpenters, all eager to ensure that your visit with us is a pleasant one.

To learn more, contact us at:
175 Bloor St. East
South Tower, Suite 501
Toronto, Ontario Canada M4W 3R8
Phone (416) 314-6858
Fax (416) 314-2495
Email locations@omdc.on.ca

In Los Angeles, contact the Toronto Ontario Film Office* at:
Phone (310) 391-1868
*A partnership of the Ontario Media Development Corporation, the Toronto Film and Television Office, and Film Ontario.