7/31/2019 Letter - MPI Competitive Advantage
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Honorable Christy ClarkPremier, Province of British ColumbiaWest
AnnexParliament BuildingsVictoria, BC V8V [email protected]
Adrian DixLeader, Official Opposition NDP Party of BC5022 Joyce
StreetVancouver, BC V5R [email protected]
Honorable Michael de Jong Q.C.Minister of Finance, Leader of the
House103 32660 George Ferguson WayAbbotsford, BC V2T
[email protected]
Bruce RalstonCritic for Finance and Public Accounts10574 King
George BoulevardSurrey, BC V3T [email protected]
Honorable Bill BennettMinister of Community, Sport and Cultural
DevelopmentEast AnnexParliament BuildingsVictoria, BC V8V
[email protected]
Spencer Chandra HerbertCritic for Tourism, Culture, and the
Arts923 Denman StreetVancouver, BC V6G
[email protected]
Honorable Pat BellMinister of Jobs, Tourism, Innovation and
LabourRoom 138Parliament BuildingsVictoria, BC V8V
[email protected]
Shane SimpsonCritic for Labour, Opposition Caucus Chair2365
Hastings StreetVancouver, BC V5L [email protected]
Dear ___________________,
I am writing to request your support for an increase in the BC
Film & Television tax incentive programand to expand the PST
base to encompass motion pictures as a manufacturing industry.
The BC Film and Television industry is, and has been, a valuable
contributor to the British Columbiaeconomy for several decades.
This industry also serves as a central platform to showcase what
British
Columbia offers to global decision makers and business
influencers.
Since 2009, the local production industry has come under
significant downward pressure, as competitionfor all production
work has increased as a result of increased tax incentives being
offered both
domestically and internationally.
When Ontarios tax credit program was expanded in 2009, this
change became a crucial dynamic in
Ontario overtaking British Columbia as an important economic
contributor and job provider in the NorthAmerican film and
television production industry. British Columbia has moved down the
rankings as thesecond largest production center every year since
this change, and is no longer listed in the top fiveproduction
centers in either North America or Internationally.
While BC offers abundant skilled workers, talent, locations, and
infrastructure; industry decision makersare increasingly more and
more bottom-line focused in this competitive and highly mobile
industry. As
a result, all decisions made in regard to the location of
production work by production executives are
largely influenced by the current incentives in place.
My job is in the film and television industry, and I have
personally experienced the unfortunate effects of
my work leaving or turning away from the Province and being done
elsewhere. I request that you dowhat you need to in order to expand
the current tax incentive program and PST base encompassing the
film and television production and post-production activities.
This industry is a positive economic andsocial contributor to the
province, while providing well-paying jobs to thousands of skilled
workers
across a wide variety of disciplines. This is an important issue
for me and I think it is important themotion picture industry
return to its competitive position and once again be a center for
innovation and
provide sustainable work opportunities for individuals and
families, both now and in the future.
Sincerely yours,
_____________________(your name)
(your address)
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