Trailer Park Boys series to receive N.S. funding

The Nova Scotia Film and Television Production Incentive committed $810,368 to the production of a new Trailer Park Boys series this year.

Nova Scotia Business Inc., the group that takes care of the fund, says it’s the largest commitment to date.

“This is for a production that will take place in the future,” explains Nova Scotia Business Inc. President and CEO Laurel Broten. “These are funding allocations that we have confirmed for the 2016-27 fiscal year.”

The series is called, Trailer Park Boys Out of the Park: Europe, and is produced by TPB OTP Productions Inc.

The film fund was created last year after the film tax credit was cut.

But while the popular Maritime-based show continues to grow, others in the film industry remain concerned about the lack of new film and TV projects.

Nathan O’Brien works in Halifax’s film industry. He’s moving to Toronto next month because he says hours have significantly dropped since last year.

“It’s something that I want to do,” he says. “And I want to do a lot, I want to progress, and there just doesn’t seem to be an environment here for that right now.”

O’Brien says he doesn’t want to move after building a home in the area just two years ago.

“In places like Toronto, there are lots of shows,” he adds, “lots of movies being shot, lots of demands, lots of opportunity.”

Marc Almon, chair of Screen Nova Scotia, says while it’s great the Trailer Park Boys received funding, there needs to be a focus on ensuring a new generation of Nova Scotian shows can thrive in the province.,

“It’s clear that TPB has become one of the most iconic TV shows in Canadian history,” he said in a written statement. “And is but one example of how the Nova Scotia film industry punches well above its weight in the sphere of media production.”

The Nova Scotia government allocated $10 million for the fund last year.

So far $2.5 million has been spent, including the $810,368 on the new Trailer Park Boys production.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Suzette Belliveau