BC's film and TV production industry generated record $4.8 billion in 2021

Hollywood North: BC's film and TV production industry generated a record of $4.8 billion in 2021

Ryan Reynolds' "The Adam Project" for Netflix filmed at the Olympic Cauldron at the Vancouver Convention Centre in 2021. (Ryan Reynolds/Netflix)

The final economic spinoff numbers for the true Hollywood North in Canada are in: the film and television production industry in British Columbia hit an all-time record of $4.8 billion in direct spending in the provincial economy in 2021.

This represents a 40% increase or $1.4 billion more than the direct-pandemic hit year of 2020 when BC recorded $3.4 billion and a 30% increase or $700 million more than the $4.1 billion seen in 2019.

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These findings are all according to the Vancouver Economic Commission’s (VEC) annual report released today on the economic tally of the local film and television industry, including visual effects and animation.

“We had expected the data to show a strong recovery given what we saw on the ground last year, but these numbers exceed all our expectations,” says Geoff Teoli, acting Vancouver film commissioner with VEC, in a statement.

“Pent-up demand from pandemic-related pauses may have been what drove spending this year, and while we expect it to settle back a bit going forward, it proves that Vancouver is capable of supporting a $5 billion industry sooner than we think.”

bc vancouver film tv production industry economic output 2021

Total spending of BC’s film and television production industry. (Vancouver Economic Commission)

Creative BC’s own account puts the province’s film and television industry’s employment figure at 65,000 workers — equivalent to about 35,000 full-time and equivalent jobs. The vast majority of these jobs are located within Metro Vancouver.

Since 2012, the industry spent about $31 billion on the provincial economy, with $17 billion going towards salaries and wages.

VEC notes these significant figures do not account for indirect economic spinoffs for tourism, accommodation, hospitality, and transportation services.

The film industry was amongst the first major sectors of the BC economy to fully restart from the earliest impacts of the pandemic.

“While the big numbers are impressive, what really excites me is thinking about how much of that is the payroll to Vancouver residents and communities, and how almost all the rest is going into the cash registers of local shops and businesses that support the industry. There are thousands of industry workers in Vancouver alone and tens of thousands in the region,” continued Teoli.

Within Metro Vancouver, a building boom of major purpose-built film and television production facilities — including the largest campus studio lot in Canada — is underway. These new facilities boosting capacity will enable BC to better compete with jurisdictions such as California, New York, Georgia, and Ontario for production projects.

“The data released today reinforces the important role that the film and television industry plays for BC’s economy,” said Wendy Noss, president of the Canadian division of the Motion Picture Association in a statement.

“When global studios film in BC, their productions not only make a big impact on-screen; they also support thousands of cast and crew, local businesses, and communities behind the scenes.”

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