CBS has officially opened its new Ontario production hub, CBS Stages Canada.

Once it is fully operational, the 260,000-square-foot space located in Mississauga will feature six sound stages, in addition to production offices and support facilities for TV and film production.

All six of the sound stages will be occupied before the end of the year, with the studio projected to generate around $200 million in annual production spending, according to CBS. Currently In the Dark, a CBS Television Studios production for The CW, is shooting at the new facility.

The launch of the Mississauga studio comes as CBS looks to expand the pipeline of shows it produces both for its own channels and broadcast partners, said Armando Nuñez, president and CEO, CBS Global Distribution Group during the opening ceremony.

“Because of the substantial investment CBS has made here in Mississauga, we are certain that our production slate will grow and expand as we continue to fill the global demands for content for many years to come,” he said.

CBS Television Studios currently has 70 series in production across broadcast and cable networks, streaming services and emerging platforms. Star Trek: Discovery, which shoots at Pinewood Toronto Studios, is among its original series.

The U.S. company first announced its plan to lease the Mississauga facility, which was previously occupied by Kraft Foods, a year ago. John Weber and Frank Siracusa, who head up Take 5 Productions and Whizbang Films, respectively, oversaw the development and retrofitting of the new studio. Going forward, they will also manage the facility, which CBS says is the first branded production entity launched in Canada by a major U.S. media company.

CBS’ decision to establish a permanent hub in Ontario comes as major content producers across various international jurisdictions look for guaranteed studio space with which to fill their expanding content pipelines. Aside from CBS, Netflix has also established a permanent presence in Ontario through a pair of long-term lease deals with both Cinespace and Pinewood Toronto Studios. Across those two studios, Netflix has leased 248,000 square feet of sound stage and office space.

Pictured from left to right: Sonequa Martin-Green, David Stapf, Perry Mattfeld and Armando Nunez