FedNor awards $850,145 to Northern Ontario screen and music industries

A Sudbury organization that supports the region’s creative sector is receiving $850,145 from the federal government to expand music, film and television activity across Northern Ontario, The Sudbury Star reports.

The funding is being provided to Cultural Industries Ontario North, commonly known as CION, through FedNor’s Northern Ontario Development Program. The announcement was made by Sudbury MP Viviane Lapointe on behalf of Patty Hajdu, the minister responsible for FedNor.

Officials expect the project to create or preserve nearly 45 full-time positions. The money will also support training, production assistance, industry promotion and partnerships with post-secondary schools throughout the region.

Lapointe said the investment should make it easier for productions to be developed and completed in Sudbury and elsewhere in Northern Ontario. She pointed to the area’s pool of artists, production workers and developing talent as an important asset for film, television and music projects.

Training workers for local productions

A central part of the project will be skills development for performers, technicians, crew members and people entering the industry. CION will build on initiatives including Media Arts Production: Practiced, Employed, Developed, a program designed to connect training with real production work.

Under the initiative, eligible film and television projects can receive as much as $10,000 in non-repayable assistance to train crew for specialized roles. That support is intended to help productions find qualified workers locally while giving participants practical experience that can lead to longer-term employment.

CION will also collaborate with post-secondary institutions across Northern Ontario. Students will have opportunities to gain hands-on experience and career preparation by taking part in regional film and television projects.

The approach links classroom learning with the demands of production, while helping employers and emerging workers build connections. It also gives students a chance to develop skills without having to leave the region to seek their first industry experience.

Promoting the region’s creative economy

Part of the funding will be used to attract attention to Northern Ontario as a place to make and showcase creative work. CION plans to host the Northern Ontario Music and Film Awards and Conference, along with showcase events highlighting local performers and new talent.

Those activities are intended to promote the region’s artists and productions, create industry connections and encourage further investment. They will also give local musicians and filmmakers opportunities to present their work to audiences and professionals.

CION associate executive director Patrick O’Hearn said the organization’s previous support from FedNor had helped extend the reach of Northern Ontario’s music, film and television sectors beyond the region. He said local productions, stories and artists are reaching international audiences while generating employment and business possibilities at home.

O’Hearn described the new funding as a way to continue that growth by bringing in more productions, strengthening the workforce and creating opportunities for emerging creators. He also said the goal is to help Northern Ontario’s creative businesses compete internationally.

A growing production market

The investment comes as film and television activity expands in Northern Ontario. Lapointe said more than 400 film and television projects have been shot across the region, making production an increasingly important contributor to the economy.

The figures cited in the announcement show the scale of that activity, although they measure different parts of the sector. Lapointe said the industry had generated more than $200 million in economic activity for Greater Sudbury. A separate Freshwater Studios economic study put the economic impact of Greater Sudbury’s production industry at more than $155 million and linked it to over 5,000 direct and indirect full-time jobs across Northern Ontario.

The study also identified Northern Ontario as one of North America’s fastest-growing film-production markets. Together, those figures provide the economic rationale for investing in training and regional promotion: as more projects arrive, producers need experienced workers, and communities need systems that can help local talent participate in the growth.

FedNor’s Northern Ontario Development Program funds initiatives led by municipalities, First Nations, organizations and institutions. Its stated aims include strengthening local economies, diversifying communities, creating jobs and supporting communities that can become more self-sufficient.

For CION, the new funding combines those economic goals with cultural development. Training programs, student placements, production assistance and public events are being brought together to help ensure that increased activity produces lasting opportunities for Northern Ontario’s creative workforce.