Thegovernment of Canadian province British Columbia has increased its film andtelevision production labour-based tax credits to match recent increases inrival production centres in Ontario and Quebec.

Announcedon Jan. 21, the BC Production Services Tax Credit, for foreign locationshooting, will increase from 11% to 18%, while Film Incentive British Columbia,for domestic productions, will increase from 20% to 30%. Exist regional anddigital animation or visual effects (DAVE) incentives remain in effect.

CrawfordHawkins, vice-chair of the Motion Picture Production Industry Association of BCsaid the decision will immediately trigger up to C$200 million of work in theprovince and stabilize the local industry and its 30,000 jobs through 2005.Early this month, several Vancouver-based production companies threatened torelocate productions to Ontario if the BC government did not take action.

"We are thrilledthat the government has acted so promptly by increasing the provincial taxcredits." says Julia Keatley, chair of the BC Producers' Branch of theCanadian Film and Television Production Association. "The film business is anextremely competitive business, not only in Canada but around the world, andthis will allow BC producers of both domestic and service production to keep theirprojects filming in our province and to continue to build our industrythroughout BC." said Keatley.