As the CBC continues to push into edgy dramatic fare, the pubcaster is developing a crime thriller, The Council, to be coproduced by Lark Productions and NBCUniversal International, in partnership with Keston International Productions.

The hour-long series from writer/showrunner René Balcer (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) is woven around a murder in a remote Canadian Arctic town.

Balcer oversaw the flagship Law & Order flagship series, including writing and directing the series finale. He also created the spin-off series Law & Order: Criminal Intent, serving as showrunner.

And Balcer created the drama JO, which aired on TF1 in France.

Lark Productions, which has a first-look deal with NBCUniversal, is also producing Motive for CTV and ABC.

The Council executive producers are Louise Clark, Erin Haskett, and Keston’s Trevor Walton and Denis Coyne.

NBCUniversal International  Television Production retains all distribution rights.

The CBC has found bigger primetime numbers with recent scripted series launches for Strange Empire and Schitt’s Creek, and has Camp X soon to launch.

Photo: Sam Waterston with Dick Wolf and Rene Balcer at Sam Waterston’s induction into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hollywood, CA (2010) s_bukley / Shutterstock.com