Things just keep getting better for Manitoba’s film and TV industry.

Following the decision to make its Film and Video Production Tax Credit permanent and remove its sunset clause earlier this year, Manitoba’s provincial government has doubled the credit’s budget allocation to $31.5 million for 2019/20, from $16 million in the current fiscal year.

“It’s a tremendous success story, and that’s why the Manitoba Film and Video Production Tax Credit has been made permanent,” said Finance Minister Scott Fielding in his budget speech last week, noting that the industry’s production volume is expected to hit $250 million for the current fiscal year.

In December, Manitoba Film and Music, which administers the credit, reported that the industry hit $210 million, making it the province’s best production year on record. Over the past few years, the industry’s production volume has grown from $137 million in 2012/13 to $173 million in 2016/17.

Following the release of the province’s 2018 budget, the provincial government announced it would establish a working group to evaluate the tax credit’s effectiveness. The working group, which was comprised of industry members such as Frantic Films’ Jeff Peeler, Eagle Vision’s Lisa Meeches and On Screen Manitoba executive director Nicole Matiation, ultimately decided the credit was a significant tool for growth in the sector.

“By making the tax credit permanent and considerably increasing the budget allocation, the government has demonstrated its industry commitment in favour of audiovisual production and confidence in the cultural sector in general,” said Matiation in a statement about the increase.

The Manitoba Film and Video Tax Credit is available as two separate programs: a 45% refundable labour-based credit that can be stacked with various bonuses (coming in at a maximum of 65%), or a 30% cost-of-production credit on all Manitoba-based labour, goods and service expenses.

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