Brampton-shot Kevin Hart movie helped Ontario boost film, TV production in 2021

TORONTO — Ontario is reporting a blockbuster 2021 for film and television production thanks to some help from Brampton.

The province says 394 productions made last year brought in $2.88 billion in spending for the economy. Recent Brampton-shot productions include the Hulu/CTV series The Handmaid’s Tale and the Kevin Hart comedy The Man from Toronto.

The figures come from Ontario Creates, a provincial agency that facilitates economic development, investment and collaboration in creative industries.

The agency says the figures represent more than 48,000 full-time direct and spinoff jobs that could include technicians, production managers, location managers, craft services, post-production experts, accountants, performers and drivers.

That’s a 38 per cent rise from the 232 productions in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced a brief shutdown of film and television work for part of the year.

Foreign production remained strong in 2021, with expenditures topping $1.9 billion, while domestic film and television production brought in $965 million.

Ontario Creates president Karen Thorne-Stone credited the numbers to the province’s financial incentives, studio expansions and film-friendly locations.

“We are thrilled to see Ontario’s film and television industry leading the province’s economic recovery,” Thorne-Stone said Thursday in a statement.

Sadaf Ahsan, The Canadian Press