A new film office is opening in Chatham to welcome film productions from around the globe.
Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff told CK Mornings with Chris, Allanah, and Matt an announcement is expected next week regarding the new film office called FLICK (Filming Locally In Chatham-Kent).
Garrett VanDusen, a film producer and Chatham native, told CK News Today he's been assisting with it, adding he visited the film office on Tuesday and it's 75 per cent ready to open.
Canniff said it's very exciting news for Chatham-Kent and a great opportunity.
"It's going to be pretty exciting for Chatham-Kent. We know there's going to be one movie filmed here in the next few months. It's a full length film," said Canniff.
The news comes as Michigan is trying to lure back filmmakers that left years ago with incentives, such as tax rebates for local services and vendors.
Ontario, also known as Hollywood North, reached record-high levels of film and television production last year. Ontario Creates, an agency of the provincial government, said it supported a total of 419 productions in 2022, contributing roughly $3.15 billion to the economy.
Ontario's film commissioner, Justin Cutler, noted the province has been able to generate interest from production crews worldwide due to many factors, including the Ontario Film and Television tax credit, which offers a refund of up to 40 per cent of the labour expenditures and an additional 10 per cent of the labour expenditures if it is a regional production.
Toronto is also reporting its screen production industry set a record in 2021 with more than $2.5 billion in direct spending.
