Organizers of new job fair hope to match Metro Vancouver film professionals with temporary work

Organizers of a new job fair in mid-August are hoping to connect film industry workers in the province with temporary jobs, as many are affected by ongoing strikes south of the border. 

According to the City of Maple Ridge — about 48 kilometres east of Vancouver — thousands of professionals in Metro Vancouver's film industry are without a job as U.S. actors and writers are striking, halting foreign film and TV productions.

The strikes are over issues like residuals in the streaming ecosystem and the use of artificial intelligence.

So the city, together with WorkBC Centre Maple Ridge, film industry groups and unions are hosting a temporary job fair to help film workers for the time being.

"I'm hearing that people are struggling to actually have shelter … it's from food to shelter, to couch surfing, to making payments," Draeven McGowan, film co-ordinator with the city, told CBC News. 

To be held at the Maple Ridge Public Library on Aug. 22, the fair for temporary jobs will include roles like electricians, carpenters, landscapers, security, Class 1 driving, and general labour.

"There's thousands and thousands of folks who are out of work right now, and unfortunately there's no timeline of when they may get back to work," Michael Morris, business and community liason with WorkBC Centre, told CBC News. 

"So that's where we've decided to come together and try to provide some sort of a connection point between the folks out of work right now … with the employers out there."

The fair is intended to help business owners from Maple Ridge, the Fraser Valley and Metro Vancouver in need of short-term labour to find film workers in need of short-term work.

"This is not just a regular hiring fair, where you're bringing in folks for long-term, permanent roles. These are folks that will be going back to their jobs in the film and tv industry," Morris said.

Organizers say they hope the fair will be the first of many for people looking for temporary work.

The fair runs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 22.