Eby tells B.C. film sector ‘we’re in your corner’ as California mulls tax credit hike

California is looking at almost doubling the film credit it offers to TV and film productions. Will B.C. be able to stay competitive?

‘Hollywood North’ could be facing some new pressures, with the original film and TV hub it is named after potentially getting big help from the California government.

California Gov. Gavin Newsome has proposed more than doubling the state’s film tax credit program from $330 million to $750 million a year.

“We need to do this. This is about jobs, this is about investment, and it’s about recognizing in closing that the world we invented is now competing against us,” Newsome said on Sunday.

“It’s not just New York, it’s not just Georgia.”

British Columbia currently offers a 28-per cent production services credit to both domestic and foreign producers, with no requirement for Canadian content.

During the provincial election, B.C. Premier David Eby pledged to hike that credit to 36 per cent.

At his first media appearance since his re-election on Tuesday, Eby pledged his government would ensure the B.C. film sector stays competitive despite pressure from the big streaming platforms.

“We’re in your corner. We’re going to work with you to make sure that our industry is competitive, and we know that if we’re competitive, we can bring in the big productions,” Eby said.