Ontario Investing Nearly $8 Million To Support Film And TV Productions In North Bay

The Ontario government is investing nearly $8 million through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) in 10 film and television projects in North Bay to support Northern Ontario’s growing production industry. As part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario, this investment will help create jobs, showcase northern talent, raise the profile of top-notch local production companies and highlight filming destinations in Northern Ontario.

“Our government is delivering on our commitment to protect Ontario by investing in projects that keep people working, strengthen northern communities and attract new economic opportunities to the North,” said George Pirie, Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth. “This funding will spark new partnerships, boost local talent and create valuable opportunities in communities across the region as we continue to position the North as a prime destination for film and TV series producers.

Since 2018, the NOHFC has invested nearly $84 million in 105 film and television projects in the Nipissing area that have helped the region remain competitive in a growing global production market. Attracting new opportunities for Northern Ontario’s film and television sector has helped the industry thrive and made the North a competitive hub for high-quality productions that boost economic growth and create jobs.

“NOHFC’s Film and Television Stream is designed to increase production in Northern Ontario to create industry jobs and support the local economy,” said MPP Vic Fedeli. “Today’s $7.95 million investment is achieving that goal, while also highlighting North Bay as a premier filming destination where these projects showcase local geography, talent and filming infrastructure.”

Film and television projects receiving funding include:

• $2 million for Piazza Entertainment to produce Season 4 of SkyMed, a medical television drama that follows the triumphs, heartbreaks and breakdowns of budding nurses and pilots flying air ambulances in remote Northern Canada
• $2 million for Hideaway Pictures Inc. to produce Season 3 of When Hope Calls, a series that tells the story of Lillian and Grace, two orphaned sisters who were separated as children and reunite as adults to open an orphanage in a small northwestern Canadian town
• $500,000 for Cutting Glass Media to produce Not Safe for Work, an animated action-comedy series that follows one of the world’s deadliest assassins who discovers there’s a hit on her estranged father and is forced to take him and her brother on the run
• $500,000 for Kelly Martin Productions to produce the made-for-television movie Crown Jewel Princess, the sequel to Jingle Bell Princess that follows the story of Princess Amelia as she prepares for her upcoming coronation
• $500,000 for Hideaway Pictures Inc. to produce the made-for-television movie Joy to the World, which tells the story of reclusive lifestyle guru Joy Edwards who is forced into a live Christmas Eve television special featuring her supposedly perfect family – whom she completely fabricated
• $500,000 for Other Animal Entertainment to produce the feature film Last Moon, which is set in the frontier era of Northern Ontario and is about separation, redemption, fear and evolution
• $500,000 for Vortex Media Ltd. to produce the made-for-television film Christmas at Candiac Lodge, a heartwarming holiday film that combines elements of comedy, romance and family dynamics
• $500,000 for Cast North Productions Inc. to produce the feature film With This Ring, which follows the story of maid of honour Hayley who enlists the bride’s handsome brother to help her find her best friend’s antique ring when she loses it a week before the wedding
• $500,000 for Comedy Camp Inc. to produce the feature film Hysterical, a mocumentary – featuring an all-star cast of comics – about a television pilot filmed deep in the wilderness of Killarney Provincial Park
• $450,000 for Watcher Pilot Productions Inc. to produce the made-for-television movie Watcher, an inspired-by-true-events story that follows a Woodland Cree tracker who reluctantly partners with a former city detective to solve a crime.

The Ontario government is prioritizing investments through the NOHFC that protect northern industries and jobs, mitigate the impacts of U.S. tariffs and trade disruptions as well as secure new opportunities for the long-term prosperity of Northern Ontario. The renewed focus is boosting competitiveness and ensuring the North remains a leader in Ontario’s economy. This new direction is in addition to the province’s investment of an additional $30 million over three years, bringing the NOHFC’s annual budget to a total of $110 million. Together, these initiatives will benefit communities of all sizes, both rural and urban, including Indigenous communities.