Vancouver: British Columbia emerged as the fastest-growing film region in Canada, according to Telefilm Canada’s annual report for 1999/00 (ended March 31), which was unveiled by Telefilm chair Laurier LaPierre and executive director Francois Macerola in Vancouver Oct. 6.

The westernmost province claimed $20.2 million in combined Telefilm resources in 1999/00, which represents 17.3% of all Telefilm investments and a 77% increase from 1996/97. Equity Investment Program investment for the province jumped 84% to $16.6 million over the same period. The Feature Film Fund paid out $2.4 million in the most recent fiscal year, a 118% increase over the four-year period.

b.c. multimedia funding increased 28 times and aboriginal production funding increased six times.

Overall, Telefilm paid out $161 million to production and development, 66% of which was directed at producers in Toronto and Montreal. Administration expenses were $15 million or 9.3% of the funding commitments. The federal funding agency invested in 290 productions and 354 development projects. These include 885 hours of television programming (representing $96.5 million in commitments) through the Canadian Television Fund and 46 feature films (representing $15.7 million in commitments).

Telefilm signed a new coproduction treaty with Austria, bringing the number of coproduction partner countries to 55. *

-www.telefilm.gc.ca