Sask. film and TV grant reduced by $2M, but industry leaders remain optimistic
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The funding for Saskatchewan's film and television grant program was reduced by $2 million in the 2025-26 budget, according to the Saskatchewan Media Production Industry Association (SMPIA).
Creative Saskatchewan, which funds arts projects across the province, had its allocation reduced in the 2025-26 provincial budget estimates to $16.1 million from $18.1 million last year. SMPIA said that reduction is to Creative Saskatchewan's feature film and television production grant, bringing it down to $10 million.
"This reduction is obviously disappointing news to Saskatchewan's screen industry, but SMPIA believes it is not as dire as it sounds," SPMIA said in a reaction statement to the budget.
"This is not 'the end of the industry.' This is not a sign that the Government 'doesn't support' the film industry. Indeed, the fund remains five times higher than it was just three years ago. This is just a small setback."
Kevin DeWalt, CEO of Minds Eye Entertainment, echoed both SMPIA's disappointment and optimism.
"This is an interesting time. All industries, I think, have to come together with what's going on in terms of our sovereignty," DeWalt said.
"We're disappointed, but I believe in general, we understand that everybody has to contribute to get through this year."
Minds Eye is a 38-year-old production company based out of Regina that primarily focuses on feature films. Its most recent production, Die Alone, was shot completely in Saskatchewan.
Busy production summer projected
Creative Saskatchewan said in an email statement that its production budget remains five times higher than it did three years ago and it will support more than 40 projects, keeping the industry busy into the next fiscal year.
Even with the reduction, SMPIA said this summer will be one of the busiest production seasons for the industry in years.
"If anything, our challenge will be accommodating all of the productions who want to come here," SMPIA said.
The organization noted that while films and television shows are not subject to U.S. tariffs, lumber and aluminum — crucial components of film sets — are.
"That is already making phones ring in Saskatchewan as U.S. and international producers turn their attention to shooting in Canada."
The organization also highlighted $300,000 in renovations coming for the John Hopkins sound stage in Regina. It's turning a studio into a dual space to be used as both a sound stage and carpentry shop.
SK Arts gets small increase
The Saskatchewan Arts Alliance (SAA) said it's disappointed in the budget, which only bumped up funding for its Saskatchewan Arts Board (SK Arts) by 1.5 per cent, or $104,000.
SAA said a "needs assessment" for SK Arts showed a need for a baseline of $6 million to fund the arts.
"Although we're grateful that the arts haven't been cut … it's still difficult for us as an arts community to see that as a sustainable way forward, because we know that our funding to Sask Arts has been flatlined and decreasing for so many years," SAA director Em Ironstar said.
Ironstar stressed the importance of more funding for the arts in light of inflation and production costs skyrocketing by 30 to 40 per cent since the pandemic.
She said if there's not more resources to address the rising costs, Saskatchewan will continue to lose arts organizations like the Regina Folk Festival, which recently announced its closure, or the temporarily cancelled Regina Fringe Festival.
"I do believe that the closing and the crisis situations that we're seeing in our province right now [with arts organizations] are directly tied to a lack of funding," Ironstar said.
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CBC
21-03-2025
- CBC
Sask. film and TV grant reduced by $2M, but industry leaders remain optimistic
Social Sharing The funding for Saskatchewan's film and television grant program was reduced by $2 million in the 2025-26 budget, according to the Saskatchewan Media Production Industry Association (SMPIA). Creative Saskatchewan, which funds arts projects across the province, had its allocation reduced in the 2025-26 provincial budget estimates to $16.1 million from $18.1 million last year. SMPIA said that reduction is to Creative Saskatchewan's feature film and television production grant, bringing it down to $10 million. "This reduction is obviously disappointing news to Saskatchewan's screen industry, but SMPIA believes it is not as dire as it sounds," SPMIA said in a reaction statement to the budget. "This is not 'the end of the industry.' This is not a sign that the Government 'doesn't support' the film industry. Indeed, the fund remains five times higher than it was just three years ago. This is just a small setback." Kevin DeWalt, CEO of Minds Eye Entertainment, echoed both SMPIA's disappointment and optimism. "This is an interesting time. All industries, I think, have to come together with what's going on in terms of our sovereignty," DeWalt said. "We're disappointed, but I believe in general, we understand that everybody has to contribute to get through this year." Minds Eye is a 38-year-old production company based out of Regina that primarily focuses on feature films. Its most recent production, Die Alone, was shot completely in Saskatchewan. Busy production summer projected Creative Saskatchewan said in an email statement that its production budget remains five times higher than it did three years ago and it will support more than 40 projects, keeping the industry busy into the next fiscal year. Even with the reduction, SMPIA said this summer will be one of the busiest production seasons for the industry in years. "If anything, our challenge will be accommodating all of the productions who want to come here," SMPIA said. The organization noted that while films and television shows are not subject to U.S. tariffs, lumber and aluminum — crucial components of film sets — are. "That is already making phones ring in Saskatchewan as U.S. and international producers turn their attention to shooting in Canada." The organization also highlighted $300,000 in renovations coming for the John Hopkins sound stage in Regina. It's turning a studio into a dual space to be used as both a sound stage and carpentry shop. SK Arts gets small increase The Saskatchewan Arts Alliance (SAA) said it's disappointed in the budget, which only bumped up funding for its Saskatchewan Arts Board (SK Arts) by 1.5 per cent, or $104,000. SAA said a "needs assessment" for SK Arts showed a need for a baseline of $6 million to fund the arts. "Although we're grateful that the arts haven't been cut … it's still difficult for us as an arts community to see that as a sustainable way forward, because we know that our funding to Sask Arts has been flatlined and decreasing for so many years," SAA director Em Ironstar said. Ironstar stressed the importance of more funding for the arts in light of inflation and production costs skyrocketing by 30 to 40 per cent since the pandemic. She said if there's not more resources to address the rising costs, Saskatchewan will continue to lose arts organizations like the Regina Folk Festival, which recently announced its closure, or the temporarily cancelled Regina Fringe Festival. "I do believe that the closing and the crisis situations that we're seeing in our province right now [with arts organizations] are directly tied to a lack of funding," Ironstar said.
CBC
08-01-2025
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SK Arts hires 1st Indigenous CEO in its over 75-year history
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CBC
04-10-2024
- CBC
'And ... action!': With new funding Saskatchewan's film industry is scrambling to find crew
A wave of new productions in Saskatchewan has local filmmakers feeling more optimistic these days, signaling a turn around for an industry once devastated by funding cuts. When the Saskatchewan Party government eliminated the film tax credit in 2012, productions fled the province and many local crew members followed in pursuit of work. A decade later, a newly established a production grant is luring the production companies back. Now they are scrambling to find enough crew members for all the work. "It's a problem, but it's a good problem," said Mike MacNaughton, board president of the Saskatchewan Media Production Industry Association. "It's way better than the alternative problem which is, you know, nothing going on … Film is a viable career option here in Saskatchewan now." In 2022, Creative Saskatchewan, the agency responsible for film productions in the province, established a film production grant that covers 30 per cent of any expenditures made in Saskatchewan to a maximum of $5 million. Die Alone, the new feature film from Saskatchewan filmmaker and WolfCop franchise creator Lowell Dean, opened in theatres last week. It was shot in the Regina and Qu'appelle Valley areas last summer, something that couldn't have happened without the new production grant, Dean says. "When I was making the WolfCop films, you would kind of top out around the $2-million mark for a film, so it would have literally been impossible to make this film here had they not revised the grant system," Dean said. "I predict it's going to mean great things for our local industry." Jessica Gares is in post-production for her short film Maneater. The Regina filmmaker also works behind the scenes on other productions and she's been busier than ever. "In the last couple years — last year for sure — you see just how many more productions there are. It's very evident there's way more work, and I can support myself with purely film work," Gares said. "I think we need more crew. That is something that's become very evident this summer with all the productions that were happening." More films, more spin-offs A successful film made in Saskatchewan can act like a calling card to attract future productions, Dean says. "To be in theatres is crazy so I really hope people will support it," Dean said. "I hope that Saskatchewan especially will go to their local theatre and you know, just this once, go see a Saskatchewan movie instead of something else just to prove that there is a desire for it." The roughly $7-million budget for Die Alone is small by Hollywood standards, but one of the largest for a film produced in Saskatchewan in about 15 years, says Kevin DeWalt, CEO of Regina's Minds Eye Entertainment and Die Alone producer. "For every dollar that you spend in the province on this industry, it generates another $5 to $6 in economic activity," DeWalt said. "And it's not just on crew and labour — it's on hotels, it's on food, it's on construction. We build sets, we rent a ton of vehicles. Wherever we shoot, we spend money, which is very positive for Saskatchewan's economy." Before the province cut the tax credit, Minds Eye Entertainment had work for three film crews with 75-100 people per crew. DeWalt says many of them left the province to find other film work, but with the new production grant, the company is rebuilding its numbers to keep up with demand. But it's not easy to do after a decade of brain drain, so the industry is trying to create opportunities for inexperienced rookies. The Die Alone production hired dozens of untested crew so they could train alongside veterans. "We're in a constant mode of trying to expand or fill our crew base, and the only way to do that is you need to train people on set," said McNaughton. "So they need to be able to get on to a set and work with qualified and experienced folks …Then they can start to build their careers and their experience level so that when the next film comes along they're that much better prepared." New opportunities The labour shortage is also good for emerging filmmakers and crew members, who get more opportunities than they would in more competitive markets. "We're being thrown into positions with way more responsibility than we've ever had to deal with before. But people are stepping up," Gares said. "Yes, the person that you might be hiring might not have been a first assistant director on a feature film before … but the film can still happen and still be really successful, and then that person is learning a lot of new skills."
