Wayne Clarkson has set a date, and will bow out of his post atop Telefilm Canada on Jan. 17.

‘It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as the executive director of Telefilm, one of Canada’s most valued cultural institutions,’ said Clarkson in a statement.

Clarkson took over as executive director of the federal agency for a five-year term, following the mid-term departure of Richard Stursberg to CBC. His tenure has been marked by greater involvement by Telefilm in new media, a bitter spat with Montreal’s World Film Festival, and continued efforts to increase the commercial appeal of domestic films.

‘But there is still a lot of work to do and, over the remaining six months of my term, I will continue to focus on Telefilm’s key challenges and priorities,’ he said.

The Telefilm board of directors has begun looking for a replacement.