Non-profit Screen BC is leading a delegation of B.C. government officials to California to promote and grow the province’s film and TV industry.

The delegation includes Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport Spencer Chandra Herbert; Nina Krieger, parliamentary secretary for arts and film; and Minister of Finance Brenda Bailey.

According to a release from the B.C. government, the mission is an opportunity to showcase the province’s commitment to working with the motion picture sector and to highlight B.C. as a “top location for film and television production.”

“B.C.’s film industry is essential to our economy and our communities,” said Bailey in a statement. “We are getting to work right away to ensure the film industry continues to choose B.C. as a leading destination for filmmakers worldwide.”

According to studies commissioned by the film sector, the industry is supporting more than 47,500 jobs. The province accounted for 45% of foreign production in Canada in 2022-23, according to the Canadian Media Producers Association’s 2023 Profile report.

The release also states that the province will continue to look for ways to enhance B.C.’s competitiveness, such as through available tax incentives.

During the lead-up to the B.C. provincial election, which saw the NDP win a narrow majority over the B.C. Conservatives with 47 seats to 44, Premier David Eby promised to increase the Production Services Tax Credit (PTSC) and Film Incentive BC (FIBC) refund to 36%.

Currently, the basic PTSC credit stands at 28%, while the basic FIBC credit stands at 35%. Both credits are calculated depending on production spending on labour from B.C. workers. In 2023-24, the B.C. film industry received about $909 million in tax credits from the province, said the release.

In a press conference after the election on Oct. 29, Eby restated his support for the industry.

“The message to film workers in British Columbia, who I know are feeling a lot of the pressures of the big streamers dialing back their budgets and other pressures facing the industry, is that we’re in your corner,” said Eby. “We’re going to work with you to make sure that our industry is competitive.”

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