Nunavut policy needs a revamp: filmmakers

Nunavut's labour incentive policy for film producers is hindering the industry's development, filmmakers say.

Thefilm labour program accepts applications once a year from production companies who want to receive rebates for hiring local workers.

The $500,000-a-year program is administered by Nunavut Film,established by the territorial government in 2003 to help the industry grow.

Filmmaker Bruce MacDonald, who shot part of a TV series pilot in Iqaluit this winter, told CBC News if his project is picked up for full production, it could be worth millions of dollars.

However, under Nunavut's current program, he said he may be tempted to take his production to another location that has unlimited labour rebates and no application deadlines.

If he missed the deadline in Nunavut, he'd have to put his project off for a year, he said.

The president of Nunavut's media association, John Houston, toldCBC News that better programs inother jurisdictionsare making it tough forNunavut to compete.

Changes to the policy need to be made, he said.

"What would be lovely is to be bold, to be daring and just uncap it," Houston said. "Make it that there's no deadline and no jury."

Although the government is talking to filmmakers about improving the policy, Economic Development official Paul Suvega said money is tight.

"Basically we're competing with other priorities throughout the whole territory,"Suvega said.

"It's hard to obtain additional dollars in the period of fiscal restraint that we're going through right now."