English official language minority production in Quebec dropped to 6% of total English Cancon expenditure in 2022-23, according to a report from the Quebec English-language Production Council (QEPC).

The report analyzed data on Canadian national and regional production from 1996-97 to 2022-23 with a focus on official language minority community (OLMC) production in Quebec. QEPC commissioned Nordicity to undertake the research for the report.

The findings were produced by QEPC with the participation of the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), Telefilm Canada, the Department of Canadian Heritage, the National Film Board of Canada and ACTRA Montreal.

OLMC production in Quebec accounted for $184 million, or 6% of the English Cancon total. This marked an all-time-low, percentage-wise, for the 27 years the study analyzed, continuing the 6% lows that were also hit in 2020-21 and 2021-22. Compared against the Quebec total, English production in the province represents 14% of the production volume, an increase from the previous year’s 11% ($148 million).

According to the report, Canadian English-language production in Quebec held its highest percentage in 1997-98 when it represented $278 million or 26%. Its production volume peaked in 1999-00 at $363 million or 22%.

“Major Quebec companies produce outside Quebec to benefit from higher tax credits,” said QEPC executive director Kirwan Cox in a statement. “As a result, English-language production in Quebec has been unable to reverse its long-running decline.”

The percentages are based on statistics found in the CMPA’s 2023 Profile report, which said Cancon production reached a record $4.14 billion in 2022-23, an increase from $3.89 billion the previous year. English-language Cancon represented $2.96 billion of the total while its French-language counterpart represented $1.17 billion. Ontario represented 41% of domestic production with Quebec representing 31%, B.C. 14%, the Prairies 10% and the Atlantic provinces 4%. QEPC noted that the 2024 Profile, released last December, has more updated production volume statistics for that period.

Foreign location and service (FLS) film and television production volume in 2022-2023 increased to $6.86 billion from $6.71 billion the previous year.

English-language FLS productions in Quebec have grown significantly over the past few decades. In 1998-99 they represented 36% or $196 million of the Quebec English-language production volume. In 2022-23 they represented $1.54 billion or 89% of the total. The previous year marked a high on a percentage basis with English FLS production in Quebec, contributing 91% ($1.42 billion) of Quebec’s English total.

The report attributed the OLMC decline to the CRTC’s 1999 television policy and changes to Quebec film and TV tax credits. The former removed broadcaster Canadian content expenditure requirements and the latter, according to the report, gives preference to French-language Quebec content and has led many Quebec-based English producers to move their productions to other provinces.

According to the report, due to the Quebec tax credit’s 8% French-language bonus, Quebec English-language productions receive the lowest provincial tax credit in Canada. French-language Quebec productions receive the second-lowest.

The report used a hypothetical $4 million project with $2.35 million in labour costs. Using that, a Quebec-produced English-language project would receive $640,000 in tax credits while a French-language project would receive $800,000. Other provinces such as Ontario would be able to provide around $1 million while B.C. would provide around $1.25 million in tax credits.

French Cancon production outside Quebec or Communautés de langue officielle en situation minoritaire (CLOSM) reached its highest production volume of $75 million or 6% of total French-language production in 2021-22. Percentage-wise, it reached its highest level of 8% ($55 million) in 2019-20. In 2022-23 CLOSM production was about $70 million (6%).

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