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Telefilm Canada is a
Crown corporation A state-owned enterprise (SOE) is a government entity which is established or nationalised by the ''national government'' or ''provincial government'' by an executive order or an act of legislation in order to earn profit for the governmen ...
reporting to Canada's federal government through the
Minister of Canadian Heritage The minister of Canadian heritage (french: ministre du patrimoine canadien) is the minister of the Crown who heads Canadian Heritage, the department of the Government of Canada responsible for culture, media, sports, and the arts. History The ...
. Headquartered in Montreal, Telefilm provides services to the Canadian audiovisual industry with four regional offices in
Vancouver, British Columbia Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
;
Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
;
Montreal, Quebec Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple-pea ...
; and
Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348,634 people in its urban area. The ...
. The primary mandate of the corporation is to finance and promote Canadian productions through its various funds and programs.


Purpose

As one of the Canadian government's principal instruments for supporting Canada's audiovisual industry, Telefilm Canada's primary mandate is to finance and promote through its various funds and programs. Telefilm's role is to foster the commercial, cultural, and industrial success of Canadian productions and to stimulate demand for those productions both at home and abroad. Telefilm also administers the programs of the
Canada Media Fund The Canada Media Fund (CMF, french: Fonds des médias du Canada - FMC) is a public-private partnership founded on April 1, 2010 by the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Canadian cable industry. It is used to fund the creation of original ...
.


Coproductions

Telefilm Canada administers the Canadian government's coproductions, enabling Canadian filmmakers and their international counterparts to coproduce films and television programs that enjoy the status of national productions in each of the respective countries.


Operations

Headquartered in Montreal, Telefilm provides bilingual services to its clients through four offices located in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax. The Atlantic Regional office, in operation since 1984 from Halifax, services
New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...
, Newfoundland,
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...
and
Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island (PEI; ) is one of the thirteen Provinces and territories of Canada, provinces and territories of Canada. It is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated. The island has seve ...
. The Quebec Regional office is located in the Montreal head office and serves the province of
Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
. The Ontario Regional office, in operation since 1968 from Toronto, serves both
Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
and
Nunavut Nunavut ( , ; iu, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ , ; ) is the largest and northernmost Provinces and territories of Canada#Territories, territory of Canada. It was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the ''Nunavut Act'' ...
. The Western Regional office, in operation since 1984 from Vancouver, serves the Western provinces of
British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
,
Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
,
Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...
,
Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada, western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on t ...
, the
Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories (abbreviated ''NT'' or ''NWT''; french: Territoires du Nord-Ouest, formerly ''North-Western Territory'' and ''North-West Territories'' and namely shortened as ''Northwest Territory'') is a federal territory of Canada. ...
and the
Yukon Yukon (; ; formerly called Yukon Territory and also referred to as the Yukon) is the smallest and westernmost of Canada's three territories. It also is the second-least populated province or territory in Canada, with a population of 43,964 as ...
.


History


Creation

In 1967, the Canadian government founded the Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC), allocating $10 million in support of the country's feature film industry.
Michael Spencer Michael Alan Spencer, Baron Spencer of Alresford (born 30 May 1955), sometimes known as "Spens", is a British billionaire businessman and philanthropist. He is the founder of NEX Group, a UK-based business focused on electronic markets and post ...
(1919-2016) was named the first executive director of the CFDC, which by then included offices in Montreal and Toronto.


1970s

By 1976, the Canadian government had increased the CFDC's budget to $25 million annually, at which point it decided to finance the corporation with an annual parliamentary appropriation. Spencer was replaced by Michael McCabe in May 1978. Notable films produced with the agency's support included ''
Goin' Down the Road ''Goin' Down the Road'' is a 1970 Canadian film directed by Donald Shebib, co-written by William Fruet and Donald Shebib. It tells the story of two young men who decide to leave the Maritimes, where jobs and fulfilling lives are hard to find, fo ...
'' (1970), '' The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'' (1974), '' Shivers'' (1975), ''
Why Shoot the Teacher ''Why Shoot the Teacher?'' is a 1977 Canadian comedy-drama film directed by Silvio Narizzano and starring Bud Cort, Samantha Eggar, Kenneth Griffith, and Chris Wiggins. It is based on a book of the same name by Max Braithwaite. Plot The plot i ...
'' (1977), '' In Praise of Older Women'' (1978).


1980s

The early 1980s sees the CFDC's budget increased yet again and the creation of the Canadian Broadcast Program Development Fund to revitalize Canadian television programming. At the time, approximately 85% of all prime time programming on Canadian television is imported from other countries—namely the US. Under the direction of André Lamy, in 1984 the CFDC is renamed “Telefilm Canada” to better reflect the organization's full range of activities in both the film and television industries. With the creation of the Feature Film Fund aimed at supporting feature films by Canadian filmmakers and the Feature Film Distribution Fund that makes credit lines available to Canadian distributors, Telefilm Canada takes a central role in the development and growth of Canadian cinema around the world.


1990s

Now under the executive direction of François Macerola, the Canada Television and Cable Production Fund is created. The Fund is a private-public partnership between the federal government of Canada and the cable and satellite television industry, with Telefilm administering the Equity Investment component of the Fund. By the end of the 1990s, in 1998, Telefilm Canada creates a five-year, $30-million multimedia fund, aptly-named The Multimedia Fund, with which to support Canadian work in the digital age. The Fund helps Canadians in multimedia to compete effectively in the new technologies arena.


2000s

With the new millennium, the Canadian government implemented a new Canadian Feature Film Policy, From Script to Screen, that effectively created the Canada Feature Film Fund (CFFF) to be managed by Telefilm Canada. Beginning April 1, 2001, with an annual budget of $100-million, the CFF's primary objective is to build larger audiences in Canada and abroad for Canadian feature films with improved distribution and marketing. Also that year, Telefilm Canada announces guidelines for the Canada New Media Fund, replacing the Multimedia Fund. Budgets grow from $6 million, to $9 million, and now sit at $14 million annually. The latter half of the decade brings about other changes for Telefilm. In 2005, the Minister of Canadian Heritage announces a new collaboration between the organization and the Canadian Television Fund and, with it, renewed funding of $100 million for Canadian television programming. While the Board of the Canadian Television is responsible for the governance of all programs, Telefilm heads up the administration and delivery of the CTF programs.


Present

The 2012 Canadian federal budget cut funding for the
National Film Board of Canada The National Film Board of Canada (NFB; french: Office national du film du Canada (ONF)) is Canada's public film and digital media producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary f ...
and Telefilm Canada by 10%. Today, following a new four-year plan, Telefilm has made stimulating demand for Canadian screen-based content one of its top priorities. In April 2022, Christa Dickenson announced that she would step down as executive director and CEO effective September 9, 2022.


Key people


Executive directors

*
Michael Spencer Michael Alan Spencer, Baron Spencer of Alresford (born 30 May 1955), sometimes known as "Spens", is a British billionaire businessman and philanthropist. He is the founder of NEX Group, a UK-based business focused on electronic markets and post ...
– March 1969 to April 1978 *Michael McCabe – May 1978 to April 1980 *Pierre Thibault – April to July 1980, acting executive director *
André Lamy André Lamy (19 July 1932 – 2 May 2010) was a Canadian film producer, who served as Canada's Government Film Commissioner from 1975 until 1979. In this position he was the Chairman of the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). Lamy was born in M ...
– August 1980 to June 1985 * Peter Pearson – July 1985 to October 1987 *Judith McCann – October to December 1987, acting executive director *Michèle Fortin – December 1987 to May 1988, acting executive director *Pierre DesRoches – June 1988 to June 1994 *Peter Katadotis – June 1994 to March 1995, acting executive director * François Macerola – March 1995 to November 1998 *Peter Katadotis – November to December 1998, acting executive director *François Macerola – January 1999 to July 2001 *Johanne St-Arnauld – July 2001 to January 2002, acting executive director * Richard Stursberg – January 2002 to July 2004 *
Carolle Brabant Carolle Brabant (born in Montreal, Quebec) is the executive director of Telefilm Canada. Brabant was named to the position by Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore in March 2010. Early life and career Brabant received her bachelor's in accou ...
– July 2004 to January 2005, acting executive director *Wayne Clarkson – January 2005 to January 2010 *
Carolle Brabant Carolle Brabant (born in Montreal, Quebec) is the executive director of Telefilm Canada. Brabant was named to the position by Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore in March 2010. Early life and career Brabant received her bachelor's in accou ...
– March 2010 to March 2018 *Jean-Claude Mahé – March to July 2018, acting executive director *Christa Dickenson – July 2018 to present


Chairpersons of the board

*
Georges-Émile Lapalme Georges-Émile Lapalme (January 14, 1907 – February 5, 1985) was a politician in Quebec, Canada and a member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec, and leader of the Quebec Liberal Party. Background He was born in Montreal. He studied law at ...
– February 1968 to November 1969 *
Gratien Gélinas Gratien Gélinas, (December 8, 1909 – March 16, 1999) was a Canadian writer, playwright, actor, director, producer and administrator who is considered one of the founders of modern Canadian theatre and film. His major works include ''Tit ...
– November 1969 to February 1978 * Michel Vennat – March 1978 to May 1981 *David Silcox – September 1981 to December 1982 *Claude Morin – January to March 1983, chaired board meetings as vice-chair *Ed Prévost – April 1983 to June 1986 *Jean Sirois – July 1987 to April 1988 *Edmund C. Bovey – May 1988 to April 1990 *Harvey Corn – July 1990 to June 1993 *André Provost – June to July 1993, acting chair *Robert Dinan – July 1993 to July 1998 *
Laurier LaPierre Laurier L. LaPierre (November 21, 1929 – December 16, 2012) was a Canadian Senator, professor, broadcaster, journalist and author. He was a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. Fluently bilingual, LaPierre was best known for having bee ...
– July 1998 to July 2001 *François Macerola – July 2001 to February 2002 *Charles Bélanger – February 2002 to February 2007 * Felix (Fil) Fraser – February to October 2007, interim chair *Michel Roy – October 2007 to present


Regional agencies


Provincial

*Alberta Media Fund (
Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
) *Creative BC (
British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
) *Manitoba Film & Music (
Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...
) *
Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture The Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture is a department of the government of New Brunswick. It was created in 2001 as the Department of Tourism and Parks from the Business New Brunswick and Department of Investment and Exports. Its mandat ...
(
New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...
) *Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation (
Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
) *Screen Nova Scotia (
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...
) *Ontario Media Development Corporation (Ontario Creates) *
Northern Ontario Heritage Fund The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) is a Crown corporation and development agency of the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines in the Canadian province of Ontario, whose purpose is to provide funding and program support to fo ...
(
Northern Ontario Northern Ontario is a primary geographic and quasi-administrative region of the Canadian province of Ontario, the other primary region being Southern Ontario. Most of the core geographic region is located on part of the Superior Geological Pro ...
) *Prince Edward Island Film Production Fund *
Société de développement des entreprises culturelles The Société de Développement des Entreprises Culturelles (SODEC) (English: Society for the Development of Cultural Enterprises) is a Quebec government agency founded in 1983 under the name of Société Générale du Cinéma du Québec (SGCQ) (En ...
(Quebec) *Creative Saskatchewan


Territorial

*NWT Film Commission (
Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories (abbreviated ''NT'' or ''NWT''; french: Territoires du Nord-Ouest, formerly ''North-Western Territory'' and ''North-West Territories'' and namely shortened as ''Northwest Territory'') is a federal territory of Canada. ...
) *Nunavut Film Development Corporation (
Nunavut Nunavut ( , ; iu, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ , ; ) is the largest and northernmost Provinces and territories of Canada#Territories, territory of Canada. It was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the ''Nunavut Act'' ...
) *Yukon Media Development (
Yukon Yukon (; ; formerly called Yukon Territory and also referred to as the Yukon) is the smallest and westernmost of Canada's three territories. It also is the second-least populated province or territory in Canada, with a population of 43,964 as ...
)


See also

* Cinema of Canada * Cinema of Quebec


References


External links

* *
Telefilm Canada: History
{{authority control Federal departments and agencies of Canada Department of Canadian Heritage Canadian federal Crown corporations Film organizations in Canada Organizations based in Montreal 1967 establishments in Canada