VANCOUVER — Chris Haddock has no doubts about the quality of The Quality of Life, which sees Nicholas Campbell step back into the shoes of Dominic Da Vinci, Canada’s favorite crusading coroner-turned-mayor.

‘It’s a sterling cast, with sterling performances,’ says executive producer and writer Haddock of the all-Canadian production for CBC.

Not so sterling is the airtime — a summer Saturday at 9 p.m. Shot in February 2007, The Quality of Life — A Dominic Da Vinci Movie was originally slated for a release that fall, ‘but we were bumped to the summer, I guess because we’re on such good terms,’ Haddock laughs, giving a nod to his dust-up with the Ceeb over the recent cancellation of his series Intelligence.

‘Saturday night at 9 p.m. — most people are still stirring their barbecues. But it’s better than being in the vault.’

Directed by John Fawcett, who also helmed some Intelligence eps, and co-written by Da Vinci collaborator Alan DiFiore, Quality of Life is loosely based on the unsolved 1925 murder of Scottish nanny Janet Smith in Vancouver’s elite Shaughnessy neighborhood. ‘I took the issues of Vancouver at the time, like racism and privilege, and contemporized them,’ says Haddock. ‘It’s still very relevant today.’

Haddock shot most of the movie in the mansion where Smith was allegedly murdered. ‘We had crew and cast walking through the place, swearing they heard and felt something,’ Haddock says.

Co-starring with Campbell are Ben Ratner (Da Vinci’s City Hall), Michael Murphy (Away from Her), Hugh Dillon (Durham County), Patrick Gallagher (Night at the Museum) and Mary Walsh (This Hour Has 22 Minutes), who, Haddock says, ‘is going to blow people away. This is a heavy dramatic role for her. You won’t recognize her.’

Haddock hopes to make more Da Vinci TV movies. ‘That was the plan. We are supposed to be making a yearly movie with CBC. But we’ll wait and see.’

Meanwhile, Haddock is in negotiations with Fox to bring Intelligence to the U.S. ‘We’re expecting news any day now,’ he says.

The Quality of Life airs Saturday at 9 p.m. on CBC.