Alberta
MGM, HBO, CBS, Paramount and other studios all working in Alberta right now!
Film credit attracts productions worth nearly $1B
A key part of Alberta’s Recovery Plan, the Film and Television Tax Credit is attracting major productions to the province, diversifying the economy and creating thousands of new jobs.
Since the program’s launch in January 2020, it has attracted 50 productions to Alberta with total production costs of $955 million, creating 9,000 new direct and indirect jobs in the province.
In March 2021, Alberta’s government removed the $10-million per-project cap from the Film and Television Tax Credit to make the province an even more desirable location for larger productions.
Cameras are rolling on film and television productions across Alberta, injecting hundreds of millions of dollars in investment into the economy as these productions hire local crews, actors and extras, and use local businesses.
The Film and Television Tax Credit, combined with Alberta’s competitive tax environment, affordable labour costs and breathtaking scenery, has made the province a prime choice for medium and big-budget television and film projects that have a positive impact on Alberta’s economy.
HBO is currently filming its new television series The Last of Us in Alberta. The project is the single largest television series production in Canadian history and is expected to create thousands of jobs.
“The boom in our film industry is the perfect example of Alberta’s Recovery Plan in action. Thanks to the Film and Television Tax Credit, and our recent improvements to it, we are witnessing a new billion-dollar industry take shape right before our eyes, further diversifying the economy and creating new jobs.”
Jason Kenney, Premier
“Alberta is the new Hollywood. With our stunning landscapes, our immense talent and our world-class studios, our province is being showcased on the big screen in a way that it never has before, with thousands of jobs being created in everything from carpentry to catering.”
Doug Schweitzer, Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation
“Film productions like The Last of Us and Ghostbusters mean thousands of new jobs for rural Albertans both on and off set. With landscapes from the Rocky Mountains to the Prairies, Alberta is becoming a global hub for film. New multimillion-dollar investments in the film industry are getting Albertans back to work and driving Alberta’s economic recovery. I look forward to seeing even more of Alberta on the big screen.”
Nate Horner, Associate Minister of Rural Economic Development
“From breathtaking landscapes to a skilled and growing workforce, Alberta has much to offer the global production community. The province’s enhanced film and television production incentive has also made it an especially attractive destination for HBO. We look forward to filming The Last of Us here, and to working with talented Alberta crews.”
Jay Roewe, senior vice-president, Production & Incentives, HBO
“Alberta’s Film and Television Tax Credit is a game-changer in terms of production volumes. It has created thousands of well-paying jobs and numerous business opportunities. High-profile projects such as The Last of Us are a major driver of jobs, Alberta businesses and training. Projects like this benefit numerous industries ranging from fabric suppliers to companies in the hospitality industry. Alberta’s spectacular landscapes are being shared globally, elevating our economic standing in the global marketplace.”
Damian Petti, president, IATSE Local 212
“We are pleased to see the Alberta government is supporting Alberta’s creative industries by their recent enhancements of our film and television tax credits and production incentives. From actors to puppeteers to stunt performers, this is fantastic news for ACTRA Alberta performers, our production community and Alberta’s economy.”
Tina Alford, branch representative, ACTRA Alberta
“Alberta’s enhanced incentive program and strong commitment to increasing investment from global studios is working to grow the creative economy and provide unparalleled opportunities for Alberta’s creative talent. On behalf of the major studios we represent, we’re thrilled that the Alberta government and industry have worked together to create jobs for thousands of skilled Albertans in front of and behind the camera, and to showcase the beauty and talent of Alberta on the global stage.”
Wendy Noss, president, MPA-Canada
“HBO is synonymous with quality and The Last of Us has long been touted as one of the most cinematic video game series ever created – a perfect marriage to Alberta’s cinematic landscapes, light and picturesque communities. We are grateful to have this tentpole series in the province developing the industry and creating hundreds of jobs for our hard-working and talented crews, as well as a great economic stimulus in communities of southern Alberta. This project, along with enhancements of the Alberta Film and Television Tax Credit, will be looked back on as cornerstone moments in a booming film production sector for years to come.”
Brock Skretting, head of advocacy, Keep Alberta Rolling
“The changes to Alberta’s Film and Television Tax credit can only be seen as a success story. Not only are we creating good high-paying jobs for Albertans, but it is also an important step in boosting Alberta’s economy at time when we need it. No matter what the business is – gas stations, lumberyard, coffee shop – movie money is being spent in Alberta.”
Mike Dunphy, business agent, Teamsters Local 362
Quick facts
- Alberta’s Film and Television Tax Credit, launched in January 2020, offers a refundable Alberta tax credit certificate on eligible Alberta production and labour costs to corporations that produce films, television series and other eligible screen-based productions in the province.
- The Film and Television Tax Credit complements the Alberta Made Production Grant, and is part of the government’s commitment to grow Alberta’s cultural industries by 25 per cent over the next decade.
- In 2019, combined consumer spend globally for theatrical and home entertainment reached $101 billion, a 34 per cent increase since 2015.
- The film and television industry is experiencing significant growth nationally and globally.
- Global spending in the industry is projected to reach about $113 billion by 2022.
- It is expected more than $50 billion of that spending will be in North America.
- Last year, the Canadian film and television industry was valued at $3 billion and employed more than 54,000 workers.
- Every year, Alberta graduates more than 3,000 creative industry professionals from its post-secondary institutions.
- According to industry estimates, more than 3,200 Albertans are employed in the province’s motion picture and video industry.
- According to Statistics Canada data:
- Every $1 million of production activity in the screen-based production sector creates about 13 Alberta jobs.
- Every $1 million of government investment under the Film and Television Tax Credit program is expected to support about 85 Alberta jobs.
- The budget for the Film and Television Tax Credit in 2021-22 is $50 million.
Related information
Alberta
Alberta court upholds conviction of Pastor Artur Pawlowski for preaching at Freedom Convoy protest
From LifeSiteNews
Lawyers argued that Pastor Artur Pawlowski’s sermon was intended to encourage protesters to find a peaceful solution to the blockade, but the statement was characterized as a call for mischief.
An Alberta Court of Appeal ruled that Calgary Pastor Artur Pawlowski is guilty of mischief for his sermon at the Freedom Convoy-related border protest blockade in February 2022 in Coutts, Alberta.
On October 29, Alberta Court of Appeal Justice Gordon Krinke sentenced the pro-freedom pastor to 60 days in jail for “counselling mischief” by encouraging protesters to continue blocking Highway 4 to protest COVID mandates.
“A reasonable person would understand the appellant’s speech to be an active inducement of the illegal activity that was ongoing and that the appellant intended for his speech to be so understood,” the decision reads.
Pawlowski addressed a group of truckers and protesters blocking entrance into the U.S. state of Montana on February 3, the fifth day of the Freedom Convoy-styled protest. He encouraged the protesters to “hold the line” after they had reportedly made a deal with Royal Canadian Mounted Police to leave the border crossing and travel to Edmonton.
“The eyes of the world are fixed right here on you guys. You are the heroes,” Pawlowski said. “Don’t you dare go breaking the line.”
After Pawlowski’s sermon, the protesters remained at the border crossing for two additional weeks. While his lawyers argued that his speech was made to encourage protesters to find a peaceful solution to the blockade, the statement is being characterized as a call for mischief.
Days later, on February 8, Pawlowski was arrested – for the fifth time – by an undercover SWAT team just before he was slated to speak again to the Coutts protesters.
He was subsequently jailed for nearly three months for what he said was for speaking out against COVID mandates, the subject of all the Freedom Convoy-related protests.
In Krinke’s decision, he argued that Pawlowski’s sermon incited the continuation of the protest, saying, “The Charter does not provide justification to anybody who incites a third party to commit such crimes.”
However, defence lawyer Sarah Miller pointed out that that Pawlowski’s sermon was protected under freedom of speech, an argument that Krinke quickly dismissed.
“While the appellant is correct that peaceful, lawful and nonviolent communication is entitled to protection, blockading a highway is an inherently aggressive and potentially violent form of conduct, designed to intimidate and impede the movement of third parties,” he wrote.
Pawlowski was released after the verdict. He has already spent 78 days in jail before the trial.
Pawlowski is the first Albertan to be charged for violating the province’s Critical Infrastructure Defence Act (CIDA), which was put in place in 2020 under then-Premier Jason Kenney.
The CIDA, however, was not put in place due to COVID mandates but rather after anti-pipeline protesters blockaded key infrastructure points such as railway lines in Alberta a few years ago.
Alberta
Heavy-duty truckers welcome new ‘natural gas highway’ in Alberta
Clean Energy Fuels CEO Andrew Littlefair, Tourmaline CEO Mike Rose, and Mullen Group chairman Murray Mullen attend the opening of a new Clean Energy/Tourmaline compressed natural gas (CNG) fuelling station in Calgary on Oct. 22, 2024. Photo courtesy Tourmaline
From the Canadian Energy Centre
New compressed natural gas fueling stations in Grande Prairie and Calgary join new stop in Edmonton
Heavy-duty truckers hauling everything from restaurant supplies to specialized oilfield services along one of Western Canada’s busiest corridors now have more access to a fuel that can help reduce emissions and save costs.
Two new fuelling stations serving compressed natural gas (CNG) rather than diesel in Grande Prairie and Calgary, along with a stop that opened in Edmonton last year, create the first phase of what proponents call a “natural gas highway”.
“Compressed natural gas is viable, it’s competitive and it’s good for the environment,” said Murray Mullen, chair of Mullen Group, which operates more than 4,300 trucks and thousands of pieces of equipment supporting Western Canada’s energy industry.
Right now, the company is running 19 CNG units and plans to deploy another 15 as they become available.
“They’re running the highways right now and they’re performing exceptionally well,” Mullen said on Oct. 22 during the ribbon-cutting ceremony opening the new station on the northern edge of Calgary along Highway 2.
“Our people love them, our customers love them and I think it’s going to be the way for the future to be honest,” he said.
Heavy-duty trucks at Tourmaline and Clean Energy’s new Calgary compressed natural gas fuelling station. Photo courtesy Tourmaline
According to Natural Resources Canada, natural gas burns more cleanly than gasoline or diesel fuel, producing fewer toxic pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.
The two new CNG stops are part of a $70 million partnership announced last year between major Canadian natural gas producer Tourmaline and California-based Clean Energy Fuels.
Their deal would see up to 20 new CNG stations built in Western Canada over the next five years, daily filling up to 3,000 natural gas-fueled trucks.
One of North America’s biggest trucking suppliers to businesses including McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Subway and Popeye’s says the new stations will help as it expands its fleet of CNG-powered vehicles across Canada.
Amy Senter, global vice-president of sustainability with Illinois-based Martin Brower, said in a statement that using more CNG is critical to the company achieving its emissions reduction targets.
For Tourmaline, delivering CNG to heavy-duty truckers builds on its multi-year program to displace diesel in its operations, primarily by switching drilling equipment to run on natural gas.
Between 2018 and 2022, the company displaced the equivalent of 36 Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of diesel that didn’t get used, or the equivalent emissions of about 58,000 passenger vehicles.
Tourmaline CEO Mike Rose speaks to reporters during the opening of a new Tourmaline/Clean Energy compressed natural gas fuelling station in Calgary on Oct. 22, 2024. Photo courtesy Tourmaline
Tourmaline CEO Mike Rose noted that the trucking sector switching fuel from diesel to natural gas is gaining momentum, notably in Asia.
A “small but growing” share of China’s trucking fleet moving to natural gas helped drive an 11 percent reduction in overall diesel consumption this June compared to the previous year, according to the latest data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
“China’s talking about 30 percent of the trucks sold going forward are to be CNG trucks, and it’s all about reducing emissions,” Rose said.
“It’s one global atmosphere. We’re going to reduce them here; they’re going to reduce them there and everybody’s a net winner.”
Switching from diesel to CNG is “extremely cost competitive” for trucking fleets, said Clean Energy CEO Andrew Littlefair.
“It will really move the big rigs that we need in Western Canada for the long distance and heavy loads,” he said.
Tourmaline and Clean Energy aim to have seven CNG fuelling stations operating by the end of 2025. Construction is set to begin in Kamloops, B.C., followed by Fort McMurray and Fort St. John.
“You’ll have that Western Canadian corridor, and then we’ll grow it from there,” Littlefair said.
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