Show me the money! Canada is the place to be when it comes to shooting a film or television production, thanks to a combination of tax incentives, film treaties, talent and an advantageous exchange rate. With tax incentives available in many countries around the world, financing and producing films requires a high level of foresight, creativity and planning. Tax credits: Canadian governments, both federal and provincial, have been offering tax incentives, in the form of tax shelters, since the early 1970s and, in the form of tax credits, since the early 1990s. Tax credits are based on local labour or production costs, and vary from province to province, ranging from 25% to 65% of local labour costs. In addition, some provinces, including Quebec, provide tax credits for production services ranging from 16% to 32% of production expenses, enabling foreign entities to transfer some or all of their production to Canada, including special effects and post-production services. Exchange rates: The Canadian dollar has fluctuated so that its value is currently around 75% of the U.S. dollar and 70% of the euro. As a result, shooting a production in Canada offers U.S. or European studios the advantage of significantly lower production costs. Co-production treaties: Over the years, Canada has also signed over 50 film co-production treaties with China, European countries and India, among others. As a result, Canada holds more film co-production treaties than any other state or country. As a result, producers can use Canada as a “tri-partite” co-production center. They can co-produce directly with each other, or develop links with different producing countries that have co-production treaties with Canada. This allows them to shoot their productions in more than one jurisdiction, while benefiting from every local incentive. In short, with its numerous co-production agreements, Canada remains the most attractive “co-production hub” in the world. More films can benefit from more subsidies than in any other location on earth. Gascon’s entertainment law team helps simplify the structuring, financing, shooting, distribution, production and exhibition of a film in a tax-incentive jurisdiction. We provide services to a network of producers, distributors and financial players worldwide. We also have in-depth knowledge of Canadian, U.S. and international tax incentives, and offer the services of an arbitrator accredited by IFTA, WIPO and ICC. With a wealth of experience in this field, Gascon’s legal and business advice will ensure your place among the best in the film industry.