'Telling the Saskatchewan story': Sask. film and television industry expanding following incentive increases

Nearly a year after the return of film and television production incentives to Saskatchewan, the industry is reaping the benefits of added opportunity.

For Saskatchewan filmmakers, the process of finding experienced crew and workers is well underway, following a decade of limited activity.

“We’re starting to rebuild crew and get prepared for these productions when they surface,” Michael McNaughton of the Saskatchewan Media Production Industry Association (SMPIA), told CTV News.

A total of $17 million in funding has been dedicated to 28 productions in the province.

As of March 12th, 18 are underway or have been completed.

One of the productions, Guardians of the North, a docuseries about firefighters in northern Saskatchewan, premiered on March 7.

“This project is a really unique peak into a world that not a lot of people have experienced,” Chris Triffo, producer for Guardians of the North, explained.

“It feels really good. I’m proud of it and I think its going to be a really good series,” Avery Legare, who appeared in the series, told CTV News.

Under the current incentive program, government grants cover 30 per cent of production costs in the province.

• Download the CTV News app to get local alerts sent to your device

According to a statement from Creative Saskatchewan, 370 jobs have been created in the province’s film and television industry in the past year.

The increase of incentives has led to a total of $82 million in economic activity.

The success of the program so far is clear to Premier Scott Moe.

“Some of that success is a documentary just like this, where we’re telling the Saskatchewan story. In this case, the story of our wildfire crews across the north,” he told CTV News at the premiere of Guardians of the North.

Since the introduction of film incentives in the 2022 provincial budget, the province has received a steady stream of inquiries.

Currently, the Regina Soundstage is fully booked as Saskatchewan filmmakers take advantage of growing demand movie, TV, and streaming content.