Hollywood is setting up in Surrey. It must have missed the turn to the Tri-Cities.
Hollywood decision makers have for years been keen on film production in Metro Vancouver, which has had its fair share of TV and film productions, including TV’s The Flash and Supergirl, and feature films such as Deadpool and Star Trek Beyond.
Due to the low loonie, generous provincial tax credits, a strong local talent pool and diverse infrastructure, there are indications that Hollywood’s relationship with Vancouver will continue to grow throughout the coming years. In fact, film permit issuance has increased by 30% from the same period last year.
Skydance Media — the U.S. film company that brought us Mission Impossible, produced in Vancouver — will soon open a studio in Surrey to start work on several high-profile productions, including one for Netflix.
Last year was record-breaking in Vancouver’s TV and movie production: More than 350 productions were filmed there, bringing revenue of $2 billion into the province, including $143 million in wages for city residents and more than $710,000 in municipal government revenue.
That is surely enough jobs and economic opportunity to attract the attention of any local government.
For years, business consultants in the field of innovation and economic growth have peppered their bestsellers with recommendations that governments play a vital role in entrepreneurship. Governments ought to seek opportunities for job creation and growth of industry through investment in the private sector and creating.
Tri-City councils should consider what the city of Surrey did with Skydance Media. Seeking opportunities not yet realized, it can invest in game-changing investments in the film industry that stimulate the local economy and create networks of knowledge and innovation. It is when leaders in business, government and non-profit collaborate across sectors to work for a common goal that such networks are formed and where opportunities emerge.
The city of Port Moody, for instance, is poised for such opportunities, especially in the arts. Suter Brook and Newport villages are prime locations for the social centre of a knowledge network in film production. Consisting of apartment buildings, banks, gyms, shops, grocery stores, eateries and cafés, both locations provide the bones of such a network. Further, office space is available and the opening of the Evergreen Extension of the SkyTrain line to make the commute to Vancouver a cinch.
I took a trip to Suter Brook recently to meet with John Mather from Red Castle Films — a Vancouver based film company specializing in independent feature films, commercials and music videos whose clients include Netflix and Universal Music — and he confirmed the opportunity for attracting production companies to the Tri-Cities, with a few government incentives, would nudge them to choose our backyard over downtown offices.
Such incentives might include reduced rent for the first year or investing in a single studio that could cater to the needs of a wide range of companies. Said Mather: “To set up production, questions need to be addressed surrounding the configuration of space, power requirements for studio-level lighting and some other technical issues, but overall, relocating... is definitely worth exploring.”
If municipal governments play their cards right, we could soon be cutting the ribbon right here in the Tri-Cities on a new industry that would push this City of the Arts and its neighbours to a whole new level.
Adel Gamar is a Coquitlam resident who’s a former policy fellow at Harvard Law School and current CEO of Gamar Leadership Group.
@AdelGamar
