Montreal grants $300K for audiovisual work

Summary#

Montréal city council approved a $300,000 grant to the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ) for its 2025–2028 plan to promote Montréal’s audiovisual industry. The adopted decision also approves a draft agreement setting the grant’s terms; the stated goal is to promote the industry and attract audiovisual work to Montréal.

  • The grant covers three years, from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2028.
  • The BCTQ’s planned activities include international promotion, hosting industry decision-makers in Montréal, promoting filming locations, and supporting collaboration on industry initiatives.
  • Payments are planned in four instalments: $70,000 and $100,000 in 2026, $100,000 in 2027, and $30,000 in 2028. Annual payments after the first are to follow the BCTQ’s submission of an activity report and an updated action plan.
  • The BCTQ has received City support before. City staff say the three-year grant is intended to make its funding more predictable.

What it means for you#

  • BCTQ: It will receive up to $300,000 under the approved agreement, subject to its terms and the stated reporting and action-plan requirements for annual payments.
  • Audiovisual businesses and workers: The funded activities are intended to promote Montréal and attract work in areas including filming, animation, visual effects and post-production. The decision does not guarantee that productions or jobs will result.
  • Montréal residents and taxpayers: The City is paying the grant from the budget of its Service de la culture. The decision does not directly change residents’ services, rights or taxes.

Money#

The City’s approved contribution is $300,000 over three years; the materials give no separate estimate of other costs to the City.

  • City staff put the project’s annual budget at $853,000. They say its funding is 12% from Montréal, 46% from Québec, 30% from the federal government, and 12% from the BCTQ’s own revenue and private contributions.
  • The City’s contribution is funded entirely by the central City, not the boroughs.
  • The decision does not state that a new tax or fee will be charged.

What is unclear#

  • The approved draft agreement’s full terms are not included. The materials do not explain what happens if reporting or action-plan requirements are not met.
  • The materials do not set out measurable targets for productions attracted, jobs, or other results.
  • The decision does not say how the City will assess whether the grant achieved its goals.

Case for#

  • City staff say international investment in audiovisual production has fallen and that Montréal needs to promote itself to compete for work.
  • A three-year grant may give the BCTQ more predictable funding for planning promotion beyond one year.
  • The project combines City support with provincial, federal, private and other BCTQ funding.

Case against#

  • The grant is a public expense, but the materials do not set out measurable results that would show whether the promotion brought work or other benefits to Montréal.
  • The stated funding plan depends mainly on public money. The materials do not explain what would happen to the project if other funding sources fell short.