The federal government has extended the Short-Term Compensation Fund for a second time, providing financial relief for productions facing potential shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Administered by Telefilm Canada, the program will provide up to $150 million in compensation until March 31, 2023. The fund was scheduled to close at the end of next month.

The fund was established in October 2020 to relieve the financial burden on producers due to a lack of COVID-19 insurance, initially with a $50-million envelope. The Department of Canadian Heritage stated in a release on Friday (Feb. 11) that the fund will end in 2023 with the expectation that “the audiovisual production industry and insurers will move beyond emergency short-term measures to develop a longer-term solution.”

Any productions that extend beyond March 31 that have already applied to the fund must complete a new application for production dates on April 1 or later, according to Telefilm, with applications processed on a first come, first served basis, “incumbent on earliest date of start of principal photography.”

“The audiovisual production industry is extremely important to our economy and more importantly to Canadian culture… our government will ensure that this industry, and the many talented people it employs right across the country, can continue to be competitive as we leave the pandemic behind us,” said Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez in a statement.

The fund has received more than 851 applications for productions across 11 provinces and territories since it was first established, according to Telefilm, which represents more than $527.3 million in coverage and more than $3 billion in production volume. Telefilm has covered approximately 814 productions to date, supporting more than 20,000 jobs.

“The longevity of the pandemic and the challenges it brings to the audiovisual industry demonstrated the necessity for another year-long extension of the Short-Term Compensation Fund. As many sectors transition and adjust to the permanent changes resulting from the pandemic, today’s announcement provides this continued security as the industry normalizes to new health and safety measures and protocols while ensuring Canadian content remains on-screen for the world to enjoy,” added Christa Dickenson, executive director and CEO of Telefilm.

“We extend deep appreciation to Minister Rodriguez and the federal government for their continued support of Canada’s film and television production industry throughout the pandemic,” said CMPA president and CEO Reynolds Mastin and AQPM president and CEO Hélène Messier in a joint statement. “The extension of the Short-Term Compensation Fund will ensure that the thousands of individuals working in Canadian film and TV production will remain employed, creating stellar content for audiences across the country and around the world.”

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