Sask. film and TV grant reduced by $2M, but industry leaders remain optimistic

The funding for Saskatchewan's film and television grant program was reduced by $2 million in the 2025-26 budget, according to the Saskatchewan Media Production Industry Association (SMPIA).

Creative Saskatchewan, which funds arts projects across the province, had its allocation reduced in the 2025-26 provincial budget estimates to $16.1 million from $18.1 million last year. SMPIA said that reduction is to Creative Saskatchewan's feature film and television production grant, bringing it down to $10 million.

"This reduction is obviously disappointing news to Saskatchewan's screen industry, but SMPIA believes it is not as dire as it sounds," SPMIA said in a reaction statement to the budget.

"This is not 'the end of the industry.' This is not a sign that the Government 'doesn't support' the film industry. Indeed, the fund remains five times higher than it was just three years ago. This is just a small setback."

Kevin DeWalt, CEO of Minds Eye Entertainment, echoed both SMPIA's disappointment and optimism.

"This is an interesting time. All industries, I think, have to come together with what's going on in terms of our sovereignty," DeWalt said.

"We're disappointed, but I believe in general, we understand that everybody has to contribute to get through this year."

Minds Eye is a 38-year-old production company based out of Regina that primarily focuses on feature films. Its most recent production, Die Alone, was shot completely in Saskatchewan.

Busy production summer projected

Creative Saskatchewan said in an email statement that its production budget remains five times higher than it did three years ago and it will support more than 40 projects, keeping the industry busy into the next fiscal year.

Even with the reduction, SMPIA said this summer will be one of the busiest production seasons for the industry in years.

"If anything, our challenge will be accommodating all of the productions who want to come here," SMPIA said.

The organization noted that while films and television shows are not subject to U.S. tariffs, lumber and aluminum —  crucial components of film sets — are.

"That is already making phones ring in Saskatchewan as U.S. and international producers turn their attention to shooting in Canada."

The organization also highlighted $300,000 in renovations coming for the John Hopkins sound stage in Regina. It's turning a studio into a dual space to be used as both a sound stage and carpentry shop.

SK Arts gets small increase

The Saskatchewan Arts Alliance (SAA) said it's disappointed in the budget, which only bumped up funding for its Saskatchewan Arts Board (SK Arts) by 1.5 per cent, or $104,000.

SAA said a "needs assessment" for SK Arts showed a need for a baseline of $6 million to fund the arts.

"Although we're grateful that the arts haven't been cut … it's still difficult for us as an arts community to see that as a sustainable way forward, because we know that our funding to Sask Arts has been flatlined and decreasing for so many years," SAA director Em Ironstar said.

Ironstar stressed the importance of more funding for the arts in light of inflation and production costs skyrocketing by 30 to 40 per cent since the pandemic.

She said if there's not more resources to address the rising costs, Saskatchewan will continue to lose arts organizations like the Regina Folk Festival, which recently announced its closure, or the temporarily cancelled Regina Fringe Festival.

"I do believe that the closing and the crisis situations that we're seeing in our province right now [with arts organizations] are directly tied to a lack of funding," Ironstar said.