List of Certified Independent Production Funds

The Commission announced in Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2015-86 that it will review its policies for Certified Independent Production Funds in 2015 to ensure they allow greater flexibility in the funding of Canadian programs. The Commission will also develop strategies to incent:

1. international co-productions and co-ventures;^{Footnote 1}
2. promotion;
3. international distribution; and
4. audience success.

Current requirements relating to Certified Independent Productions Funds are below.

How to apply

Section 52 of the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations states that:

Except as otherwise provided under a condition of its licence, a licensee shall make, for each broadcast year, the following contributions to Canadian programming based on its gross revenues derived from broadcasting activities in that year:

(b) to one or more independent production funds, a contribution of 1% of gross revenues, of which 0.4% of gross revenues shall be made to the Small Market Local Production Fund; and

In Public Notice CRTC 1999-29 the Commission outlined the criteria that it would use to  certify whether an independent production fund is eligible to receive and administer contributions from BDUs.

In Public Notice CRTC 2001-30, the Commission amended the eligibility criteria so that treaty co-productions will no longer require 65% Canadian financing in order to qualify for access to contributions by BDUs to certified independent production funds.

In Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-833, Contributions to Canadian programming by broadcasting distribution undertakings, the Commission amended the criteria to provide certified independent production funds with greater flexibility to support new media projects and program development. Public Notices 1997-98 and 1999-29 remain in force and unchanged in all other respects.

The following is a list of the independent production funds that have been certified as eligible to receive contributions from BDUs. It also includes a brief description of the types of projects that the fund will provide funding to.

Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund
Cogeco Television Production Program
Independent Production Fund
Le Fonds Harold Greenberg
Nova Scotia Independent Production Fund
Quebecor Fund
Remstar’s Fund
Rogers Documentary Fund
Saskatchewan Film and Video Development Corporation (SaskFilm)
Shaw Rocket Fund (formerly Shaw Television Broadcast Fund)
Small Market Local Programming Fund
The Canadian Independent Screen Fund for BPOC Creators (CISF)
The TELUS Fund
Telefilm Canada

Bell Fund

Supports the development and production of cross-platform digital media and television. The television component must be designated as a drama, variety, documentary, lifestyle, reality, or children's/youth program.

Contact:

Cogeco Television Production Program

Administered by the Independent Production Fund, the Cogeco Television Production Program supports the production of prime-time television drama series, and children's television series.

Contact:

Independent Production Fund

Supports the development and production of Canadian web series, and also supports television dramatic series, including dramatic series for children, via the Cogeco TV Production program.

Contact:

Le Fonds Harold Greenberg

Supports the production of English and Fench films, as well as French documentaries, musicals, special events and videoclips.

Contacts:

Nova Scotia Independent Production Fund

Nova Scotia Independent Production Fund Scotia through The Eastlink TV Independent Production Fund program supports the production of Canadian television animation and /or live action TV series.

Contacts:

Quebecor Fund

Quebecor Fund promotes the production of projects that include both:

• the production of Canadian content for television broadcasting. Productions may take the form of television production, film or event. Television broadcasting, however, is systematic;
• production of interactive multimedia components declined from those productions and using information technologies and communication platforms such as high speed internet, interactive TV, video on demand and / or various fixed or mobile terminals.

Quebecor Fund currently manages two programs:

• The Main Television Production Assistance Program (MPAP);
• The Event and Film Production Assistance Program(EFPAP).

Contacts:

Serge Thibaudeau, CEO
Julie Guénette, Program coordinator
www.fondsquebecor.ca
1030 Cherrier Street, Suite 503
Montreal, Quebec
H2L 1H9
Tel.: (514) 842-2497
Fax: (514) 524-9192

Remstar's Fund

Remstar’s Fund supports the creation, the production, the distribution and the promotion in Canada of new artistic and cultural works of all kinds for distribution on television and other digital media platforms, particularly the production of music video and Canadian programming that promote the musical talent.

Contact:

Tony Porrello, President
355 Sainte-Catherine Street West, Suite 300
Montreal, Quebec
H3B 1A5
Tel: (514) 390-6100 ext. FONDS (36637)

Rogers Documentary Fund

Provides financial support for Canadian documentary programming in both official languages.

Rogers Cable Network Fund
Provides equity financing for Canadian television programs which have a first window on one of Canada's specialty programming services.

For both funds contact:

Robin Mirsky
Executive Director
Rogers Documentary Fund and Rogers Cable Network Fund
Rogers Communications Inc.
333 Bloor Street East, 9th Floor
Toronto, Ontario
M4W 1G9
Tel: (416) 935-2555
Fax: (416) 935-2527

Saskatchewan Film and Video Development Corporation (SaskFilm)

Supports the film, video and new media community of Saskatchewan to enhance the quality, quantity and marketability of its products and resources.

Eligible projects include made-for-TV movies and series; short-form dramatic, animated, and children's programming; and documentaries, educational, experimental, variety, and non-theatrical films and television programs.

Contact:

Susanne Bell
Director, Programs and Services
Saskatchewan Film and Video Development Corporation
1831 College Avenue
Regina, Saskatchewan
S4P 3V7
Tel: (306) 798-3457
Fax: (306) 798-7768

Shaw Rocket Fund

(Formerly known as Shaw Television Broadcast Fund)

Provides equity financing for the production of children, youth and family television programming. Fiction and non-fiction, including series, pilots, specials, documentaries, variety, animation and TV movies are eligible. Preference is given to productions in the English, French or Aboriginal languages.

Contact:

Agnes Augustin
President
Shaw Rocket Fund
630 - 3rd Avenue SW, Suite 900
Calgary, Alberta
T2P 4L4
Tel: (403) 750-4517
Fax: (403) 750-4635

Small Market Local Programming Fund

Assists the small market, independently owned television stations identified by the Commission in Public Notice CRTC 2003-37 in meeting their commitments to local programming.
Annual Reports: 2003-2004 | 2004-2005 | 2005-2006 | 2006-2007 | 2007-2008 | 2009-2010 | 2010-2011

Contact:

Pierre-Louis Smith
Vice-President, Policy and Chief Regulatory Officer
Policy and Regulatory Affairs
Canadian Association of Broadcasters
306 - 350 Sparks Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 5S2
Tel: (613) 233-4035
Fax: (613) 233-6961

The Canadian Independent Screen Fund for BPOC Creators (CISF)

The CISF is an independent production fund with a mandate to specifically support Black and people of colour creators.

Contact:

Sally Lee
Executive Director
Canadian Independent Screen Fund (CISF) for BPOC Creators
1508 – 65 Harbour Square
Toronto, Ontario
M5J 2L4

Email: ed@independentfund.org
Website: https://independentfund.org/

The TELUS Fund

The TELUS Fund finances the creation of content portraying social and technological innovation in the field of health and wellness.

Contacts:

3rd Floor, 4535 Canada Way
Burnaby, British Columbia
P.O. Box 787
V5G 1J9

Email: info@telusfund.ca
Website: http://www.telusfund.ca/

Telefilm Canada

The Fund has two streams: one funds original first works made by young filmmakers and sees that these projects benefit from innovative distribution and marketing. The other stream supports productions from well-known filmmakers in addition to providing them wider international promotion and distribution.

Contact:

M^e Stéphane Odesse
Vice President, Legal Services and information management and Corporate Secretary, Telefilm Canada
360, St-Jacques Street, suite 600
Montreal, Quebec
H2Y 1P5
+ 1-800-567-0890

Email: Stephane.Odesse@telefilm.ca

Reference documents for certification of independent production funds: Public Notices CRTC 1997-25, 1997-98, 1999-29, 2003-37, 2003-38. Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-833

Date modified:

2023-06-22