Ontario’s Film Industry Grows With Amazon MGM, Netflix Opening Stages

variety.com:

Todd Longwell Investing in a film and TV production facility is a tricky business. The industry is fickle under the best of circumstances, and if you’re looking to build a soundstage complex in a region that uses its tax incentive to attract projects, there’s always the possibility that politicians will repeal it in the next legislative session, effectively shutting down your studio.

So it’s a testament to Ontario’s stability that Amazon MGM Studios and Netflix have both made major commitments to the Canadian province in recent months, expanding an already substantial production infrastructure that includes a wealth of equipment vendors, VFX facilities and cutting-edge LED volumes for virtual production. “We’re in a cost-competitive environment where we’re encouraging infrastructure growth, so a stable tax credit has been priority number one for our government,” says Ontario film commissioner Jason Cutler. “We don’t have an annual cap on our tax credit, there’s no sunset clause and it’s also a refund as opposed to being a rebate or a buyback.” According to Cutler, there’s already 3.6 million square feet of stage space in the province, and approximately 1.8 million square feet that will become available soon.

In January, Amazon MGM Studios — which has made a number of high-profile series in the province in recent years, including “The Boys,” “Gen V,” “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Reacher” — announced a multi-year commitment to Pinewood Toronto Studios.

It will give them exclusive use of Pinewood’s five new soundstages in the city’s Port Lands section, minutes from downtown, along with workshops and office space, totaling approximately 160,000 square feet.