Pinewood Toronto Studios broke ground on its multi-stage expansion today with an explosive stunt along the Toronto skyline.
In addition to a previously-announced 170,000 square foot expansion, the studio announced an additional 30,000 square feet will be added to the plans, bringing the total new production space to 200,000 square feet (18,580 square metres) of sound stages and support space.
With the expansion, Pinewood Toronto Studios becomes the largest production studio in Canada at 525,000 square feet overall to support a growing roster of domestic and international film and television clients.
Ground breaking (exploding) of a 200k square foot expansion at @PinewoodStudios on the don lands. That means even more film and studio production coming to Toronto. Full disclosure: bell media owns both Pinewood and @CTVToronto pic.twitter.com/bw9iFegI4q
— Sean Leathong (@CTVSean) October 19, 2018
The ground breaking was marked with a series of five explosions at the expansion site, adjacent to Pinewood’s existing 33.5 acre (13.5 hectare) complex in Toronto’s Port Lands. The event was broadcast live on CTV Toronto, and hosted by CTV Your Morning co-host Anne-Marie Mediwake, who was joined by Toronto Mayor John Tory, Pinewood Toronto Studios President Nanci MacLean, Bell Media President Randy Lennox, and Pinewood Toronto Studios board members Paul Bronfman, Bill Bryck, Nikki Moffat, Alfredo Romano, Arjan Stroomberg, and general manager Geoff Grant.
Bell Media announced in March that its Bell Media Studios division was acquiring a majority stake in Pinewood Toronto Studios, in partnership with Comweb Studio Holdings, Castlepoint, and the City of Toronto.
Pinewood’s current site encompasses 11 purpose-built stages, including one of the largest sound stages in North America at 46,000 square foot (4,274 square metres), offices that can house multiple productions at a time, teaching facilities, and a variety of support services.
“This is going to be a formidable studio and we at Bell Media are very, very proud to be part of this in terms of how this is going to look in the midterm and we have even more plans in the longterm,” said Randy Lennox, Bell Media president. “Our partnership is healthy, and our ambitions are even healthier.”
Pinewood has served as home to television series like Orphan Black and Killjoys, in addition to feature films Molly’s Game, Room, Suicide Squad, and Spotlight.
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