The Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association is receiving $15,000 from the provincial government.
The money comes from a $275,000 B.C. government fund to help attract and provide services to film and video producers from around the world.
“We continue to support the film industry because it is a crucial economic contributor both regionally and for the province as a whole,” says Cariboo Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett. “This funding will help keep B.C. a leader in the film industry.”
Every year, B.C.’s regions provide locations for various film projects, including movies, television series, documentaries and commercials.
Motion picture and television producers spent more than $1 billion in British Columbia during 2010. About 90 per cent of productions use the services of the BC Film Commission, including regional film commissions and offices.
“The Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association’s film office has worked diligently with the BC Film Commission for a number of years to provide highly professional production services and community connections and support for projects like GI Joe 2, which is filming in the region. Their efforts and investment in B.C.’s motion picture industry are extremely valuable to the entire province.”
The government says British Columbians working in the motion picture industry earned wages of about $450 million in 2010.
The provincial government provides between $130 million and $200 million in annual refundable tax credits for the film and television industry, depending on the level of production activity.
The Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development distributed the funding to regional film commissions, as well as specific tourism associations and municipalities that work closely with the BC Film Commission to showcase and promote their regions to film makers and liaise with film production companies.
Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association in Williams Lake handles the film location requests for the region on behalf the BC Film Commission.