B.C. will increase tax incentives for film and TV productions starting on Jan. 1 to keep the province competitive with other jurisdictions, Premier David Eby announced on Thursday, Dec. 12.

The Film Incentive BC (FIBC) tax credit for Canadian-content productions will rise slightly, from 35 to 36 per cent, while the production services tax credit (PSTC), for international projects filmed here will rise substantially more – from 28 per cent to 36 per cent.

Projects with B.C. production costs of $200 million or more will receive a further two per cent tax credit on top of those numbers, according to the announcement.

"Our province is home to one of the busiest film and TV production centres in North America," Eby said in a statement. "But film production in B.C. has taken a big hit over the last few years, responding to significant impacts from the pandemic, multiple labour disruptions and changes to industry practices.

Eby said the boosted tax credit will ensure B.C. remains a "destination of choice for filmmakers in Canada and around the world."

The goal is to keep the many B.C.-based film crews employed.

91Ô­´´ is one of the key filming locations in B.C., because additional tax credits apply to productions that film outside of Vancouver and its immediate vicinity.

When the B.C. film industry first began to take off in the late 1980s and early 1990s, most productions stuck close to Vancouver. In an attempt to spread work to other parts of B.C., a line was drawn that added incentives for filming in 91Ô­´´ and points east.

Combined with its local amenities, such as communities that can be portrayed as cozy American small towns, and 91Ô­´´'s share of filming has boomed. Fort 91Ô­´´ in particular has become iconic as a location for filming, especially Christmas-set TV romantic comedies. Everything from The X-Files to Sonic the Hedgehog movies have filmed in the area over the past 30 years.

Local production has led to the creation of several local film production companies and studios, the largest of which in 91Ô­´´ is Martini Film Studios, which has facilities in Aldergrove and Walnut Grove.

"This is an industry where B.C. excels and is known as a progressive and sophisticated leader on the world stage," said Gemma Martini, CEO of Martini Studios and chair of Screen BC. 

Martini said that the tax credit changes signal a strong and strategic action plan for the film industry and its jobs.

The province's film industry was battered both by COVID, which caused a temporary shutdown of almost all filming, and then by strikes in the large U.S.-based writers and actors guilds.

The number of jobs in the industry has fallen since the strikes, according to Creative BC, which said that 37,000 jobs in B.C. were supported by the film and TV industry in 2022, compared to 26,000 in 2023.

In 2022, the industry generated $2.7 billion, compared to $2 billion in the strike year of 2023.

"I was recently in Los Angeles and heard directly from studio executives about the significant production increases in B.C. that would flow from changes like these," said Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport Spencer Chandra Herbert. "These changes will help us land more top-tier projects, fuel economic and job growth, and showcase everything we love about B.C. to the world."