HALIFAX- The animation field had been growing over the past few years in Nova Scotia, but the future now looks bleak. DHX Media hired 125 animators and set up a new studio last fall in Halifax. The company, which owns Family Channel, hired 125 animators last fall and planned on hiring more. Those plans are now on hold while the company figures out what to do since the Liberal government cut the Film Tax Credit.
“These people are highly trained, many of whom have moved here. These are the types of jobs we definitely need in Nova Scotia. They are transferable skills, they’re relatively high paid,” said David Regan, Corporate Development with DHX Media.
DHX Media is currently working on five major productions, some for Amazon and Netflix. The company tells Global News they have not laid any employees off yet, and there are no planned layoffs in the immediate future.
Regan says the Department of Finance doesn’t understand how the industry works and what the changes mean. “Shifting to a non refundable tax credit presents uncertainty to the banks and the banks therefore will not provide bank or funding for projects,” he says.
The industry says they had no consultation from government, and the future of many projects are now in jeopardy.
“The tax credit was very competitive within Canada which is why we had a thriving film industry here, and now it’s been reduced to one of the worst in North America,” said Leah Johnston, a Halifax filmmaker and actress.
- Posters promoting ‘Steal From Loblaws Day’ are circulating. How did we get here?
- Video shows Ontario police sharing Trudeau’s location with protester, investigation launched
- Canadian food banks are on the brink: ‘This is not a sustainable situation’
- Solar eclipse eye damage: More than 160 cases reported in Ontario, Quebec
Besides producers, directors and actors, there are many other people who work within the Film, TV and digital media industry. Hair dressers, make-up artists carpenters and companies that rent film production equipment say they’re in trouble.
“This is a scorched earth plan, this is a nothing remains, this is a we’re back to square one, we’re back to the 70’s,” said Charles McLearen, who works with William F. White International Inc., a film equipment rental company.
For his part, Premier Stephen McNeil says tough choices had to be made in the budget in order to deliver healthcare and education. McNeil and Finance Minister Diana Whalen have both said they hope the film industry can adapt.
“The reality is choices had to be made, and I get it, yesterday was a very difficult day for many Nova Scotians. There were people who came to work yesterday and went home without a job. Those are not easy decisions,” McNeil tells Global News.
Comments