Community, Sport and Cultural Development Minister Ida Chong is set to make what the government is calling an "important announcement" related to funding B.C.'s film, TV and digital media industry later today.
It is unclear what the announcement, slated to be at the Penticton Memorial Arena, will be, though the location was chosen because a Vancouver film company is shooting a production at the arena for the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.
Executives in B.C.'s creative industries have been calling for more government support, hinting that B.C. is falling behind Ontario's lead.
In late April, creative industry leaders in B.C. released a report calling for a reinvented and co-ordinated approach to B.C.'s creative industries, which include book and magazine publishing, digital media, film and television production and music and sound recording.
The group wants the government to look at whether B.C. would benefit from creating a B.C. equivalent to the Ontario Media Development Corp., a government organization that describes itself as "the central catalyst for the province's cultural media cluster."
The organization:
- administers tax credits and grant programs;
- helps promote and market the industries; and
- hosts events and matchmaking opportunities to foster cross-industry partnerships, such as matching book publishers and film producers.
