Ontario Premier Doug Ford shuffled his cabinet on Thursday (June 6), naming Willowdale MPP Stan Cho as Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming.

Cho, who was first elected in 2018, was previously the Minister of Long-term Care. His predecessor, Neil Lumsden, takes on the newly formed role of Minister of Sport. Sports was previously part of the tourism and culture portfolio.

Cho inherits an industry in flux. Recently the province’s film and television production sector saw a major dip in revenue following last year’s U.S. labour strikes. According to Ontario Creates, the industry contributed $1.8 billion to the province’s economy in 2023, a significant drop from $3.15 billion in 2022.

The new minister will also oversee recent changes to the province’s digital animation and visual effect tax credit to untether it from the province’s other tax credits, which was announced as part of this year’s budget. Productions would instead need a minimum of $25,000 in Ontario labour expenditures for related activities.

The Ontario Computer Animation and Special Effects Tax Credit (OCASE) covers 18% of eligible labour expenses related to digital animation and visual effects. To be eligible for the credit, a production must be certified for the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit (OFTTC) or the Ontario Production Services Tax Credit.

Other tax credit-related budget changes that will fall under Cho’s purview is the planned review the OFTTC’s regional bonus “to ensure it effectively supports film and television production across the province.”

Under the current system the regional bonus applies to Ontario productions with a minimum of 85% of location days taking place outside of the Greater Toronto Area (including animated projects), and offers a 10% bonus on eligible labour expenditures.

Last August the Ontario government opened up the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit (OFTTC) to productions released exclusively online.

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