Forget the tired stereotype of Canada being just a scenic backdrop for Hollywood, because with a record-breaking 1,247 feature films and TV productions shot in 2022—a 15% surge from the year before—the Canadian film industry is loudly scripting its own blockbuster story.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, Canada produced 1,247 feature films and television productions, marking a 15% increase from 2021
- English-language television production in Canada reached 1,856 hours in 2022, up 12% year-over-year
- French-language production hours totaled 2,034 in 2022, representing 52% of all Canadian TV production
- Total certified production labor expenditures: $4.8 billion CAD in 2021-22
- Foreign location production spending in Canada: $2.9 billion CAD in 2022
- Total screen sector GDP contribution: $6.5 billion CAD in 2022
- Total screen sector employment income: $3.9 billion CAD in 2022
- Film and video production jobs: 145,000 full-time equivalents in 2022
- Post-production workforce: 28,500 employees in 2022
- Total Canadian films domestic box office: $112.4 million in 2022
- Top Canadian film "Brother" grossed $3.2 million domestically in 2022
- Average ticket price in Canada: $12.45 CAD in 2022
- Telefilm Canada invested $130 million in feature films in 2021-22
- Federal CPTC tax credits issued: $700 million CAD in 2021-22
- CMF contributions to TV: $380 million in 2022
Canada's film industry grew strongly in 2022 across production, employment, and economic impact.
Box Office and Audience
- Total Canadian films domestic box office: $112.4 million in 2022
- Top Canadian film "Brother" grossed $3.2 million domestically in 2022
- Average ticket price in Canada: $12.45 CAD in 2022
- Total theatre admissions: 78.5 million in 2022
- Quebec French-language films box office: $45.6 million in 2022
- English-Canadian films admissions: 2.1 million tickets in 2022
- Streaming viewership for Canadian content: 1.2 billion hours in 2022
- Cinema attendance recovery: 65% of pre-pandemic levels in 2022
- Festival audience for TIFF: 500,000 attendees in 2022
- Top grossing Canadian doc "The Tragically Hip": $1.1 million in 2022
- Market share of Canadian films: 8.2% domestic box office in 2022
- VOD rentals of Canadian titles: 4.5 million in 2022
- Audience demographics 18-34 for Canadian films: 52% in 2022
- Repeat viewings for top Canadian films: 23% of total tickets in 2022
- International box office for Canadian films: $89 million CAD in 2022
- Netflix Canadian content hours watched: 450 million in 2022
- Prime Video Canadian originals views: 210 million hours in 2022
- Crave SVOD subscribers watching Canadian: 65% monthly in 2022
- Radio-Canada audience share for drama: 22% in prime time 2022
- CBC Gem top Canadian show streams: 15 million in 2022
- Theatre occupancy rate: 42% average in 2022
- IMAX Canadian film screenings: 1,200 shows in 2022
- Drive-in theatre attendance: 1.8 million for Canadian films 2022
- Surveyed audience preference for Canadian content: 68% positive in 2022
- Kids programming TV ratings: 15% share for Canadian shows 2022
Box Office and Audience Interpretation
While Canadian cinema's domestic box office might seem like a modest indie drama compared to the Hollywood blockbuster next door, its story is one of a dedicated, younger audience binge-watching at home, passionately attending festivals, and proving Quebec is its own thriving production studio, all while quietly earning respectable international royalties.
Economic Impact
- Total certified production labor expenditures: $4.8 billion CAD in 2021-22
- Foreign location production spending in Canada: $2.9 billion CAD in 2022
- Total screen sector GDP contribution: $6.5 billion CAD in 2022
- Tax credit leverage ratio: $6.50 private investment per $1.00 in federal tax credits in 2021-22
- Ontario's screen industry generated $3.2 billion in production volume in 2022
- Quebec film and TV industry economic impact: $2.1 billion GDP in 2022
- BC film industry spending: $1.8 billion in 2022
- Total box office revenue from Canadian films: $145 million CAD in 2022
- Merchandising and ancillary revenues from Canadian productions: $450 million in 2022
- Hotel spending by film crews: $320 million CAD in 2022
- Rental car expenditures by productions: $89 million in 2022
- Restaurant and catering spend: $210 million from film industry in 2022
- Real estate multiplier effect: $1.2 billion indirect spend in 2022
- Export value of Canadian screen content: $1.9 billion in 2022
- Digital media sector revenues: $1.4 billion CAD in 2022
- VFX and animation services exports: $1.1 billion in 2022
- Total provincial tax credit claims: $780 million CAD in 2021-22
- Foreign spend multiplier: every $1 foreign spend generates $2.60 in Canadian economy
- Screen industry taxes paid to governments: $1.3 billion in 2022
- Tourism boost from film locations: $450 million annual economic impact
- Retail sales from on-set purchases: $156 million in 2022
- Transportation services billings: $210 million CAD in 2022
- Construction for sets and stages: $98 million spend in 2022
- Insurance premiums from productions: $45 million in 2022
- Legal and accounting fees: $67 million industry spend in 2022
- Advertising and marketing expenditures: $123 million CAD in 2022
- Equipment rentals generated $289 million in revenues in 2022
Economic Impact Interpretation
Canada’s film industry is a remarkably efficient economic alchemy, turning modest public tax credits into a sprawling, multi-billion-dollar ecosystem where everything from craft services to visual effects exports quietly fuels hotels, restaurants, and government coffers, proving that Hollywood's North American backlot is actually a serious business engine cleverly disguised as a soundstage.
Employment
- Total screen sector employment income: $3.9 billion CAD in 2022
- Film and video production jobs: 145,000 full-time equivalents in 2022
- Post-production workforce: 28,500 employees in 2022
- VFX artists employed: 12,400 in Canada in 2022
- Actor and performer jobs: 34,200 gigs in 2022
- Director positions filled: 1,234 in 2022 productions
- Writer credits: 2,156 across Canadian scripted content in 2022
- Producer roles: 3,450 in 2022
- Cinematographer jobs: 890 per year average in 2022
- Editor positions: 2,100 full-time in 2022
- Sound technicians: 1,780 employed in 2022
- Grip and gaffer crew: 5,600 jobs created in 2022
- Make-up and wardrobe staff: 2,340 positions in 2022
- Location managers: 456 hires in 2022
- Women in key creative roles: 38% in 2022
- Indigenous workers: 4.2% of total workforce in 2022
- Visible minorities in crew: 29% representation in 2022
- Unionized workforce percentage: 72% in film production in 2022
- Average annual salary for producers: $112,000 CAD in 2022
- Entry-level PA wage: $28/hour average in 2022
- VFX artist average salary: $95,000 CAD in 2022
- Director average fee per project: $145,000 in 2022
- Animator hourly rate: $42 CAD average in 2022
- Stunt coordinator jobs: 234 in 2022
- Drone operators certified: 1,200 in film use in 2022
- Freelance crew turnover: 68% annual in 2022
- Training program graduates: 2,450 from film schools in 2022
Employment Interpretation
Canada's screen sector may employ more people than a small town, pay them better than most industries, and still manage to be run by a shockingly small, overworked, and disproportionately non-diverse group of caffeine-powered creatives who are one tax credit away from having to become realtors.
Funding and Government Support
- Telefilm Canada invested $130 million in feature films in 2021-22
- Federal CPTC tax credits issued: $700 million CAD in 2021-22
- CMF contributions to TV: $380 million in 2022
- Ontario CPTC claims: $290 million in 2022
- BC film tax credit: $198 million disbursed in 2022
- Quebec tax credit rate: 37.5% on qualified labor in 2022
- Telefilm talent funds: $22 million to emerging filmmakers 2021-22
- Canada Media Fund total: $365 million allocated in 2022
- Provincial incentives total: $1.1 billion across Canada in 2022
- CRTC local content contributions: $145 million broadcaster levy 2022
- Export development funding: $12 million from Telefilm in 2021-22
- Indigenous production fund: $8.5 million disbursed in 2022
- Diversity equity inclusion grants: $4.2 million in 2022
- Co-production treaty support: 45 projects funded $35 million 2022
- Digital media incentive: $45 million federal in 2022
- TIFF industry funding: $6 million government in 2022
- Documentary assistance program: $18 million Telefilm 2021-22
- Animation incentive claims: $67 million in 2022
- Alberta film tax credit: $23 million in 2022
- Manitoba credits: $12.4 million issued 2022
- Saskatchewan 45% labor credit utilized $9.8 million 2022
Funding and Government Support Interpretation
In Canada, the government essentially serves as the film industry's most generous and patient co-producer, quietly investing over a billion public dollars a year to ensure we have more to watch than just polite apologies and breathtaking scenery.
Production Statistics
- In 2022, Canada produced 1,247 feature films and television productions, marking a 15% increase from 2021
- English-language television production in Canada reached 1,856 hours in 2022, up 12% year-over-year
- French-language production hours totaled 2,034 in 2022, representing 52% of all Canadian TV production
- Animated content production in Canada hit 298 hours in 2022, a 22% rise from prior year
- Feature film production budgets averaged $5.2 million CAD per project in 2022
- Number of scripted series produced in Canada grew to 142 in 2022
- Documentary production hours reached 456 in 2022, up 8%
- Digital media platforms hosted 1,234 Canadian content titles in 2022
- Quebec province accounted for 68% of French-language production volume in 2022
- Ontario led English-language production with 1,124 hours in 2022
- British Columbia produced 312 hours of high-budget SVOD content in 2022
- 76 Canadian feature films premiered at domestic festivals in 2022
- Post-production services were utilized in 89% of foreign location shoots in Canada in 2022
- Virtual production techniques were employed in 45 projects across Canada in 2022
- Indigenous-led productions numbered 34 in 2022, a 28% increase
- Diverse cast representation reached 42% in Canadian scripted series in 2022
- 112 Canadian films were certified for tax credits in fiscal 2021-22
- Average shooting days per feature film in Canada: 28 days in 2022
- 67% of Canadian productions used green production practices in 2022
- Children's and youth programming hours: 189 in 2022, up 15%
- Lifestyle and reality TV hours totaled 1,023 in 2022
- 245 digital interactive projects received funding support in 2021-22
- Feature documentaries produced: 56 in 2022
- High-budget foreign TV series shot in Canada: 89 in 2022
- 2D animation projects: 23 hours, 3D: 156 hours in 2022
- Prairie provinces (AB, SK, MB) produced 156 hours combined in 2022
- Atlantic Canada output: 89 hours of TV in 2022
- 34% of productions were co-productions with international partners in 2022
- Streaming platforms commissioned 67 Canadian original series in 2022
Production Statistics Interpretation
The Canadian film industry is booming like a polite yet determined beaver, setting record after record with more productions, diverse stories, and sophisticated techniques than ever, proving it's a global force no longer content to just play supporting roles.
Sources & References
- Reference 1CMPAcmpa.caVisit source
- Reference 2TELEFILMtelefilm.caVisit source
- Reference 3CANADAcanada.caVisit source
- Reference 4ONTARIOCREATESontariocreates.caVisit source
- Reference 5SAPIQsapiq.orgVisit source
- Reference 6GOVwww2.gov.bc.caVisit source
- Reference 7MPTACmptac.orgVisit source
- Reference 8STATCANstatcan.gc.caVisit source
- Reference 9ACTRAactra.caVisit source
- Reference 10TIFFtiff.netVisit source
- Reference 11CMF-FMCcmf-fmc.caVisit source
- Reference 12CRTCcrtc.gc.caVisit source
- Reference 13ALBERTAalberta.caVisit source
- Reference 14GOVgov.mb.caVisit source
- Reference 15SASKATCHEWANsaskatchewan.caVisit source