CanNor's investment of over $645,000 will support the Screen Production Yukon Association and Shot in the Dark Productions to build capacity in the Yukon's screen media industry 

WHITEHORSE, YT, July 3, 2024 /CNW/ - The Yukon's screen media industry, including film, television and online media, brings significant benefits to people and communities in the territory, such as skilled employment, economic growth, cultural enrichment, and increased visibility on a national and global scale. Businesses and organizations that bring the territory's stories, cultures and landscapes to the screen are drivers of the Yukon's economy.

Today, Dr. Brendan Hanley, Member of Parliament for the Yukon, on behalf of the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, PrairiesCan and CanNor, announced that the Government of Canada is investing in two projects, totaling more than $645,000, that will strengthen the Yukon's screen media industry.

More than $620,000 will assist Screen Production Yukon Association (SPYA) to increase its capacity and deliver on key priorities in the report Yukon Screen-based Production Sector: A Roadmap for Growth 2022-2027. This includes providing industry-specific training, delivering a new northern screen industry conference, opening a new studio space, attracting more local productions, along with purchasing gear and updating its website and branding.

Shot in the Dark Productions received $25,000 to provide professional puppetry training to help Northerners acquire the skills needed to work on the company's new made-in-the-Yukon children's television series called Northern Tails.

In 2023-24 the Government of Yukon increased funding to SPYA in response to the Roadmap. This amounted to approximately $160,000 last fiscal year to help achieve its key priorities. The Government of Yukon provided SPYA with $65,000 in 2022 for the creation of the Roadmap.

The Government of Yukon also supported Shot in the Dark Productions' project by providing $22,000 for puppeteering training.

Through investments like these, the governments of Canada and Yukon are supporting the expansion and diversification of the Yukon's screen media industry. Increased local productions will not only strengthen the Yukon's economy, but also benefit other businesses and sectors and encourage future visitation to the territory.

Quotes

"Our government supports the development of a vibrant and thriving screen media industry in the Yukon. Investing in this industry promotes cultural expression, technological innovation and community engagement, contributing to the overall prosperity and wellbeing of the territory. It offers direct economic benefits for the people who work on the productions and secondary benefits to many other industries, such as catering, accommodations and transportation."

-  The Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, PrairiesCan and CanNor

"Investing in the Yukon's screen media industry supports more than entertainment, it promotes the territory's cultural identity, sharing our stories with national and international audiences. Our government is supporting these projects to strengthen the local industry, by expanding the number of made-in-the-Yukon productions and creating more opportunities for Yukoners."

-  Dr. Brendan Hanley, Member of Parliament for the Yukon   

"The Yukon is home to many talented professionals working in the screen sector. These two projects, by hard-working and highly-skilled Yukoners, will help drive innovation in our territory through the art of storytelling on-screen. Investing in programs like these not only helps us to develop our workforce through new employment and development opportunities, it also makes the Yukon an attractive place for national and international production teams. Our government is proud to support the diversification of our creative and cultural industries, and looks forward to the continued advancement of this sector."

-  Ranj Pillai, Premier and Minister of Economic Development, Government of Yukon 

"SPYA is honoured to receive this generous support from CanNor that will help us create a centralized studio facility, revitalizing the old event center building. This community hub will host our rentable grip kit and gear library, offices, and filming studio, increasing the entire film industry's capacity. We are excited to open the studio for rentals as early as this fall."

-  Brianne Bremner, Executive Board Member, Screen Production Yukon Association

"I'm grateful to CanNor and Yukon Media Development for supporting us to bring up Ali Eisner, an incredibly talented professional puppeteer, to help train a team of Yukoners who I could then draw from to cast my production. We now have a talented team of experienced local puppeteers who can support ongoing seasons of Northern Tails."

-  Kelly Milner, Owner, Shot in the Dark Productions

Quick facts

• Funding for both projects is provided through the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency's Inclusive Diversification and Economic Advancement in the North (IDEANorth) Program. IDEANorth makes foundational investments in economic infrastructure, sector development and capacity building to help position Northerners in the territories to take advantage of Canada's innovation economy.
• Screen Production Yukon Association is a non-profit organization that supports, develops and celebrates the Yukon's screen media industry.
• Screen Production Yukon Association is supported by several Government of Yukon funding programs, including the Media Development Training Fund, Economic Development Fund and operational support. The Government of Yukon has also supported Shot in the Dark Productions' Northern Tails project through the Economic Development Fund, as well as their Development and Production funds.
• Shot in the Dark is a Whitehorse-based film and media company currently creating Northern Tails, a children's wildlife educational series about how animals in the Boreal forest interact with each other, their environment, northern people and the wider world.

Associated Links

• Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
• Inclusive Diversification and Economic Advancement in the North (IDEANorth)
• Government of Yukon media funds
• Screen Production Yukon Association
• Shot in the Dark

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SOURCE Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor)