CITY of STRATFORD Office of the Mayor His Worship Dan Mathieson City Hall, P. O. Box 818 Stratford, ON N5A 6W1 519-271-0250, ext. 234 [email protected] www.stra tfordcanada.ca October 6th, 2020 By Email [email protected] The Honourable Lisa MacLeod Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries 6th Floor, 438 University Avenue Toronto, ON M5G 2K8 Dear Minister MacLeod: The Mayors of Southwestern Ontario (MOSO) are pleased to offer our support for the Southwestern Ontario Film Alliance proposal to create a Film and Production Hub in our region. We write to you today to request your government’s support for the expansion of film and television production in Ontario. In 2019, Ontario’s film and television industry created 45,000 jobs and contributed over $2 billion to the provincial economy. However, the industry is concentrated in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Northern Ontario due to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, which rebates up to 50% of production expenditures. Consequently, Southwestern Ontario has been excluded from this expanding industry. The need for increased economic activity in our region could not be more urgent amid the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the arts and culture sector. For example, the Stratford Festival was forced to cancel their 2020 season due to the ongoing public health crisis, putting 1000 staff, crew, and cast members out of work. Significantly, the Festival is the driving force of Stratford’s economy, and is the catalyst for $135 million in annual economic activity our region. The creation of a film and production hub in Southwestern Ontario could create much- needed opportunities for our highly valued arts and culture industry, as well as our substantial tourism and hospitality sector. Similar examples can be found throughout Southwestern Ontario, where arts and culture communities and organizations continue to fight for survival amidst ongoing shutdowns. The creation of a Southwestern Ontario Film and Production Hub will require three important actions. We respectfully request the Government of Ontario’s co nsideration and support for the following recommendations: 1. Increase the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit Regional Bonus from 10% to 30% to help offset the cost of film and television production in our region and make it affordable; 2. Adapt the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund to make film and television production eligible for support (similar to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund); 3. Provide access to the Tourism Recovery Fund to support hotels and restaurants in Southwestern Ontario who provide hospitality for the film and television industry. Through these important measures, we have a unique opportunity to position Ontario as a film and television production destination. The demand for filming locations has exceeded supply in Northern Ontario and the GTA, and we are losing valuable opportunities to allow film and television production to increase in our Province. Allowing our region to participate in this expanding industry will support job creation, innovation, and economic growth, and will help make Ontario a prime location for film and production companies. Representatives from the Mayors of Southwestern Ontario would be pleased to discuss this proposal with you at your convenience. We would appreciate the opportunity to particip ate in this dynamic industry, and to make our region and by extension our province more competitive, particularly in the existing economic climate. We look forward to working in partnership with you on this important endeavor to keep Ontario working for the people. Sincerely, Dan Mathieson, Mayor City of Stratford Darrin Canniff, Mayor Municipality of Chatham-Kent Ed Holder, Mayor City of London Mike Bradley, Mayor City of Sarnia Joe Preston, Mayor City of St. Thomas Drew Dilkens, Mayor City of Windsor .