QUEBEC CITY -- As the Quebec film and television industry approaches a real resumption of filming, the government is infusing the industry with a $51 million temporary assistance program to help.
Minister of Culture and Communications Nathalie Roy made the announcement on Monday in order to resolve a deadlock between the production and insurance companies.
The program will go online on Wednesday, according to a news release issued by the minister's office.
Run through the Societe de developpement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC), the program is meant to finance filming in order to maintain the production capacity of the industry, in addition to compensating producers for interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The stimulus plan for the cultural community presented in early June was matched by $400 million in public funds, including $150 million drawn from a reorganization of the culture budget, in addition to $250 million in new money.
The government set aside $91.5 million to support film and television production.
Shooting on the very popular police series “District 31” resumed Monday to end the show’s season, which was interrupted by the pandemic.
The Quebec Association of Media Production (AQPM), which represents more than 150 independent production companies, welcomed the announcement on Monday.
AQPM president and CEO Helene Messier noted that the investment will relieve some of the pressure, while “the budgets of French-language productions are already suffering from significant underfunding.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 13, 2020.
