As Hollywood Pulls Back, Northern Ontario Steps Up

Like the entertainment industry everywhere, Ontario’s film and TV business has absorbed its share of external shocks — the L.A. strikes, the Peak TV hangover, a streaming boom going in reverse. But production beyond greater Toronto has emerged as a welcome buffer, with regional bonus incentives, cheaper labor and a diverse array of iconic locations helping the province weather Hollywood’s pullback.

Cities and towns across northern Ontario, having already pivoted from mining and manufacturing to hosting major film and TV shoots, are rising to the logistical challenges of turbulent times. And while talent, crews and infrastructure remain a draw, tax credits, currency savings and government rebates are the real superpower.