THUNDER BAY — Thunder Bay continues to get the short end of the stick when it comes to provincial film-industry grants. And the city’s remote location — despite being nestled in beautiful surroundings — continues to be a major obstacle.
Of the nearly $11.5 million in grants announced on Wednesday for Northern Ontario projects, only a fraction of the amount went to a film being produced in the Lakehead.
See: Northern communities share $11m to boost film and TV industry
The lion’s share cited in a news release — $1 million — is for a television series being made in Sudbury, following a pattern over the years which has seen the mining city being on the receiving end of substantial grants for film and television work.
“Sudbury benefits from its close proximity to Toronto, making it easier for film and television companies to move their productions there,” said Liberal MPP Michael Gravelle, a long-time booster of made-in-Thunder Bay film production.
Gravelle (Thunder Bay-Superior-North) added: “Sudbury has built up a strong film and television presence over the past decade, with many productions based there, which may explain why they tend to receive larger and more frequent grants.”
Another $500,000 of the allotment announced on Wednesday went for a film being made in Sault Ste. Marie.
“Ontario is a world-class destination and leading player in the production of film and television in Canada and internationally,” Heritage and Culture Minister Lisa MacLeod enthused in a news release. “These investments will help Northern Ontario’s film and television industry maintain and grow.”
Though Thunder Bay has yet to be known as Hollywood North — at least in terms of major works appearing on the big screen — a fair bit of filmmaking talent continues to be quietly pumped out of Confederation College’s two-year production program.
“What do Avengers: Endgame, Pirates of the Caribbean, Stranger Things and Suicide Squad all have in common?” the college tempts on its website.
“Grads of the Confederation film production program worked on those productions.”
Of Wednesday’s funding announcement, about $62,000 was earmarked for a work about a Metis sniper in the First World War by a Thunder Bay company — Film Riel Inc.
Film Riel president and veteran documentary filmmaker Ron Harpelle said while provincial funding is crucial “to produce high-quality productions that tell stories from or about Northwestern Ontario,” he believes that Thunder Bay’s full potential as a filming hub has yet to be realized.
“We have the talent right here, and a spectacular city on Lake Superior,” said Harpelle.
Unfortunately, big film production companies often tend not to see it that way.
“We’re just a little too far from Toronto,” Harpelle said.
On the plus side, some companies have managed to find a permanent home in the Lakehead: Apple Wagon Films was established in 2007. That was something one didn’t see 25 years ago, Harpelle noted.
On Apple Wagon’s website, founder Curtis Jensen said he remains hopeful that Thunder Bay “will become a viable filming destination.”
