Film & Television Program

The Film and Television Stream is designed to increase film and television industry jobs and investment and to increase quality, original film and television productions produced in Northern Ontario, while showcasing its culture, geography, stories and talent.

Funding

NOHFC funding is determined by how much your project spends in Northern Ontario. Conditional contributions of up to 50% of eligible costs are available to a maximum which is capped on a tiered basis according to the total northern spend.

Total Production Budget Potential Level of Support
        Up to $5 million         Up to $500,000
        $5 million – $10 million         Up to $1,000,000
        $10 million and above         Up to $2,000,000

Eligible costs include all production expenses in Northern Ontario, such as labor, production goods and services, and post-production costs.

Not sure what you’re looking for? Get in touch with our agents for a 1-on-1 conversation about your project.

Eligibility

The Film and Television Program is open to production companies who are passionate about growing and supporting the industry in Northern Ontario.

  • The production company must be a Canadian corporation which is Canadian controlled
  • The production company must own all, or a majority of, the rights necessary to exploit and produce the production.
  • Applicants must receive a producer credit on the project.

There are four application intake rounds:

  • Round 1: Application intake period: February 1 – April 30
  • Round 2: Application intake period: May1 – July 31
  • Round 3: Application intake period: August 1 – October 31
  • Round 4: Application intake period: November 1 – January 31

Before you begin, check if you fall within the eligible region of Northern Ontario.

What is eligible?

Types of eligible projects include:

  • Theatrical feature films
  • Scripted television series
  • Made-for-television movies
  • Documentaries

Applicants must provide evidence of the availability of all other project financing with terms and conditions satisfactory to the NOHFC, at the time of application.

The project must have secured a written commitment letter from a qualified and experienced distributor or broadcaster, satisfactory to the NOHFC, at the time of application.

What is not eligible?

The following costs are ineligible for NOHFC support:

  • Costs spent outside of Northern Ontario
  • Brokerage of goods and services from outside of Northern Ontario by intermediaries
  • Operational expenses for a media company
  • Advertisements, partisan content, fundraising videos, or industry videos not meant for broader consumption
  • Unscripted media content, such as reality TV, live sports, news or improvisational comedy
  • Productions containing excessive violence or sexually explicit content, that encourage hatred, intolerance, violence or criminal activity.

Process

Applications to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation take the following path:

Apply

Submit your application and we’ll review it and make sure your project meets our program guidelines.

Evaluation

We’ll get some additional information on your project and review it in greater detail.

Decision

We’ll share our review with our board of directors, who will make the final decision on your application.

Documents

Use the following documents to guide you through the application process:

Download Brochure

Success Story

The Tasty Venture

How Fromagerie Kapuskoise transformed a residential home into a cheese factory.

While visiting China in 2011, Francois Nadeau was surprised to learn that it was hard to find cheese — something he loved to eat — in the country.

Help & FAQ

Does the NOHFC Film & Television program consider labour costs of crew from outside Northern Ontario as an eligible cost?2024-09-10T19:40:36-04:00

Only labour costs for individuals who live in Northern Ontario are eligible for NOHFC support. “Deemed labour” is no longer allowed. Applicants are encouraged to offer on-set training for crew members by working with industry organizations, unions, and colleges or universities in Northern Ontario.

Does NOHFC have a plan to increase Northern Ontario vendors for the film and television industry?2024-09-10T19:39:20-04:00

Yes, NOHFC encourages vendors to start businesses in Northern Ontario to support the industry. Approved vendors are added to the Northern Ontario Vendors List. Other vendors not on the list may still be eligible for reimbursement, but NOHFC will review them on a case-by-case basis.

What supporting documents must be submitted with my film & television application?2024-09-10T19:38:39-04:00

The following documents must be submitted with your application.

  1. Script or Screenplay
  2. Project synopsis
  3. Production schedule
  4. Signed and dated production budget
  5. Projected Northern Ontario expenditures, in the same format as the production budget
  6. Copies of applications or commitment letters from all other sources of production financing.
  7. Written commitment letter(s) from a distributor or broadcaster
  8. Detailed marketing and distribution plan
  9. National and international revenue projections
  10. Detailed cast and crew list
  11. Evidence of a complete and clear chain of title, including a complete description of the production’s development history and all 3rd party agreements
Why is a distribution agreement required?2024-09-10T19:38:04-04:00

NOHFC must have a reasonable level of comfort that the productions will be successfully completed, delivered and viewed by a wide audience.

How much funding should be in place when my company submits an application to NOHFC?2024-09-10T19:37:26-04:00

NOHFC prefers that the majority of the financing is in place or confirmed at the time of application.

Are equipment rentals from outside Northern Ontario eligible?2024-09-10T19:37:03-04:00

No. Only rentals from vendors located in Northern Ontario are eligible cost.

Not sure what you’re looking for? Get in touch with our agents for a 1-on-1 conversation about your project.

2024-12-11T10:03:50-05:00
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