As Canadian broadcasters get set to crank up the fall TV war, the next Corner Gas or Little Mosque on the Prairie may well emerge from Canwest Broadcasting’s writers and showrunner training programs, which kicked off at the recent Banff World Television Festival.

The aim, says Christine Shipton, SVP of drama and factual content at Canwest Broadcasting, is to help Canadian TV executives pick potential homegrown primetime hits based on more than just a one-page plot outline, a pedigree producer and blind speculation.

‘We’re trying to train a generation of showrunners – to grow the Canadian TV series business,’ Shipton explains.

While at Banff, program participants attended specially designed seminars, pitch sessions and master classes. Their Rockies boot camp included face-time with Stephanie Savage, executive producer/co-showrunner on Gossip Girl, Hart Hanson, creator/showrunner on Bones, and Michael Poryes, creator/executive producer on Hannah Montana.

Program members have since met with story teams on existing Canadian series, as they continue to hone their writing and producer skills, which include dialogue, top-line budgeting and hiring talent. The best among them will secure a chance to pitch a drama at Banff, and possibly develop that series as a pilot.

Former CTV exec Tecca Crosby created a template for the programs ahead of their launch at Banff, but she will now move on to Temple Street Productions as VP drama, as recently announced. Canwest will consult with the Banff fest to find someone else to run the program. In the meantime, Crosby has high expectations for Canada’s next, best TV writers.

‘There are no excuses. We should be bringing along emerging writers to where they can showrun,’ she says.

Significantly, the training program, a product of Canwest’s Alliance Atlantis benefits package, aims to hatch homegrown hits for all Canadian broadcasters.

Shipton has no predictions on how many pilots might emerge from the program, as that will be contingent on the quality of the participants’ output.