KAMLOOPS – Kathy Kendall, B.C. NDP candidate for Kamloops-North Thompson, knows how many direct and indirect jobs the film industry creates in Kamloops and supports the plan to expand tax credits that will rebuild the industry. “Adrian Dix’s announcement today means both domestic and foreign production tax credits will be increased, which will help strengthen and grow the local film industry,” Kendall said. “Those tax credits were first instituted by the B.C. NDP in the 1990s.” In recent years, B.C. suffered a decline in production after Ontario introduced a new film and television tax credit regime, boosting production in that province significantly. B.C. lost 3,500 direct and spinoff film and television production jobs last year, with the total number falling from 39,500 to 36,000, while in the same period Ontario’s industry gained nearly 8,000 jobs, jumping from 43,400 to 51,300. In 2013, payroll figures show B.C. film and television production activity in studio or on location declined 32 per cent in comparison with the same period in 2012.
“Our local film commission has made it clear that the film industry needs support and today we’ve committed to increase tax credits to 40 per cent of labour costs for both foreign and domestic productions shot in B.C.,” Kendall said. “We have beautiful and diverse locations in the B.C. Interior and well-trained crews to make films – now we have provided additional incentive to get the film rolling again.”