It was another record-breaking year for film and television production in Ontario last year, according to Ontario Creates, which released its annual statistics report Tuesday morning.
Ontario reported its highest production levels to date in 2022 with 419 productions bringing in $3.15 billion in production spending, including generating 45,891 full-time equivalent direct and spin-off jobs.
Television led strong foreign production numbers with expenditures reaching $1.95 billion. Among the foreign TV productions on location in the province last year were UTAP, an episodic sequel to True Lies from Netflix, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger; forthcoming Paramount+ spy series Rabbit Hole, starring Kiefer Sutherland; AppleTV+ series The Big Cigar; and Amazon Prime superhero series, The Boys.
Domestic production accounted for 38% of total film and television spending in Ontario, up from 34% in 2021, contributing $1.2 billion to the economy, an increase of 25%. 155 domestic TV productions accounted for over $891 million in spending.
Live action production also saw an increase, accounting for 391 of a total 419 productions.
“Ontario’s competitive financial incentives and programs fuel a thriving film and television production industry,” said Neil Lumsden, Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, in a release. “Our diverse landscapes and deep talent pool attract and cultivate ground-breaking Ontario-made content and ensure the industry continues to be a strong economic driver in the province. It is rewarding to see the results in 2022’s record-breaking numbers.”
Ontario Creates’ data does not include commercial production or in-house broadcaster production, which was estimated at over $1.4 billion in 2022 and would bring Ontario’s total production activity to more than $4 billion for the year.
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