In addition to breathtaking landscapes, Nova Scotia offers several funding programs that make our province one of the most competitive in the country. Combine provincial and federal funding to make your budget cost-effective, while working with world-class talent and crew. If you have any questions after reading this page, please don’t hesitate to reach out directly.
PROVINCIAL FUNDING
Nova Scotia Film & Television Production Incentive Fund
Funding: Feature Film, Television, MOWs, Miniseries (scripted, doc/factual)
Receive up to 32% back on eligible Nova Scotia expenditures (including labour, goods and services). Administered by the province’s leading economic development agency, Nova Scotia Business Inc., the average payout timeline for the incentive is just 30 business days, making this fund faster and more responsive than most tax credits. To apply, start by contacting a Nova Scotia service producer or co-producer with a permanent establishment in N.S. More info HERE.
Contact: Linda Wood, Manager, Film & Television Incentives
lwood@nsbi.ca / filmapplication@nsbi.ca
1.902.424.7181
Digital Animation Tax Credit
Funding: Animation
Nova Scotia’s animation industry has grown exponentially in recent years. One contributor is the industry-leading animation tax credit, which creates significant cost savings for animation companies and studios. The Digital Animation Tax Credit is a refundable tax credit for costs directly related to the development of digital animation in Nova Scotia. This tax credit provides an incentive of up to 60% on labour associated with the project, including a labour bonus of 17.5% on animation-specific activities. More info HERE.
Contact: Elvira Dalag, Revenue Officer
Elvira.Dalag@novascotia.ca / 1.902.424.2808
Digital Media Tax Credit
Funding: Interactive digital media
Nova Scotia offers a digital media tax credit that rivals all others in Canada – making this the ideal place for video game development and interactive media. Qualifying companies can claim the lesser of 50% of the qualifying expenditures or 25% of total expenditures. Qualifying expenditures could include 100% of eligible salaries in Nova Scotia, 65% of third-party labour remuneration, and up to $100,000 in marketing and distribution expenditures. More info HERE.
Contact: Samantha Thomson, Revenue Officer
Samantha.Thomson@novascotia.ca / 1.902.424.5388
FEDERAL FUNDING
Telefilm Canada
Funding: Feature Film
Telefilm Canada is a team of over 200 professionals serving the industry from four offices located across Canada. Dedicated to the cultural, commercial and industrial success of Canada’s audiovisual industry, Telefilm Canada, through its various funding and promotion programs, supports dynamic companies and creative talent here at home and around the world.
Telefilm Canada supports all stages of a feature film, from development to production and post-production, to marketing to audiences both at home and abroad. To learn more about Telefilm Canada’s extensive financing options, click HERE.
Atlantic Region Office: 1660 Hollis Street, Suite 401, Halifax, NS, B3J 1V7
Contact: Lori McCurdy, Regional Feature Film Executive
lori.mccurdy@telefilm.ca / 1.902.334.1365
Canada Media Fund (CMF)
Funding: Television, Web series, Digital media, AR/VR
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) fosters, promotes, develops and finances the production of Canadian content and relevant applications for all audiovisual media platforms. The CMF is a not-for-profit corporation that delivers $371.2 million in funding annually to support the Canadian television and digital media industries through two streams of funding: the Experimental Stream and the Convergent Stream. Through the Convergent Stream, the CMF supports the creation of convergent television and digital media content for consumption by Canadians anytime, anywhere. The convergent stream is made up of various programs and incentives that target key activities and audiences. The Experimental Stream encourages the development of innovative, interactive digital media content and software applications. More info on the CMF HERE.
Atlantic Region Contact:
Susy MacGillivray, Development Analyst, CMF Program Administrator
susy.macGillivray@telefilm.ca / 1.902.426.8425 x 2724
National Film Board of Canada (NFB)
Funding: Documentaries, animation and interactive/immersive works (shorts/features)
Canada’s public producer and distributor, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) produces and coproduces innovative documentaries, animation and interactive/immersive works that provide new perspectives on Canada and the world from Canadian points of view.
The NFB works in collaboration with emerging and established filmmakers and creators, culturally diverse communities and co-producers in every region of Canada—as well as partners around the world. NFB creators continue to break new ground in both form and content, in documentary and animated films, pioneering interactive works, including virtual reality projects and mobile content, and immersive, participatory experiences.
Atlantic Studio: Bond Building, 201 – 5475 Spring Garden Road, Halifax, NS B3J 3T2
Rohan Fernando, Producer (Halifax)
r.fernando@nfb.ca / 1.902.401.6794
Film or Video Production Services Tax Credit
Combining provincial and federal funding will make your budget even more cost-effective. The federal government offers a tax credit of 16% for service productions and 25% for domestic productions on Canadian labour costs. More info HERE.
Contact: Department of Canadian Heritage, Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office
PCH.bcpac-cavco.PCH@canada.ca / 1-888-433-2200 (toll-free)
PRIVATE SECTOR FUNDING
Eastlink TV Independent Production Fund
Funding: Television (animated, live-action)
Bring your television series to life! Designed to finance Nova Scotian television productions, this program could provide you with an equity investment of up to $300,000, to a maximum of 20% of your total budget. Interested? Start by ensuring your production is high in Canadian content. For news and guidelines, click HERE.
Contact: filmapplication@nsbi.ca / 1.902.424.7181
Independent Production Fund (IPF)
Funding: Television (drama), Web series
The Independent Production Fund was established in 1991 to provide financial support for dramatic television and web series created by Canadian independent producers. Funding programs include the Development Packing Program, the Short Form Series (aka Web Drama Series) Production Program, Cogeco TV Production Program, and the Professional Development Program. For deadlines, guidelines and applications, click HERE.
Contact: info@ipf.ca / 1.416.977.8966
SUPPORT PROGRAMS & FUNDS
Arts Nova Scotia
Arts Nova Scotia is the provincial funding agency that provides support to professional artists and arts organizations, arts education programs and a number of arts awards and prizes. For more details on grants and awards for individuals and organizations, please visit HERE.
CCH – Screenwriters Development Fund
The Screenwriters Development Fund will consider investment in direct costs for film and TV scriptwriting. Nova Scotia producers with a Nova Scotia writer are eligible. A Nova Scotia registered Production Company can receive up to 50% of project costs through the fund. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. More info HERE.
Contact: Mickey Quase
mickey.quase@novascotia.ca / 1.902.424-3701
NSBI – Travel Support
NSBI’s Export Growth Program contributes up to 50% of eligible costs to a maximum of $15,000 for a business to cover the following:
- Travel to a new market outside of Nova Scotia* (or up to two return visits within 24 months of the initial visit) to attend a trade show, conference, or to visit clients, potential partners, or investors; and
- Have foreign clients, potential partners, or investors visit the organization’s Nova Scotia facilities for the first time.
More info HERE.
Contact: Scottina Jackson, Export Program Administrator at NSBI
sjackson@nsbi.ca / 902-424-5739
NSBI – Business Development
The Small Business Development Program supports the acquisition of a private-sector consultant to provide professional expertise. The program contributes up to 50% of eligible project costs to a maximum incentive of $15,000. Eligible costs include business planning; market research, feasibility or business case analysis for proposed or existing business activity; product research, development, and design; development plan for e-commerce platform for markets outside of Nova Scotia; matchmaking and business valuations for succession planning. More info HERE (including contact info for individual regions).