Film, TV unions want Telefilm to only fund productions with collective agreements

Members of the Alliance of Canadian Cinema Television Radio Artists (ACTRA) and the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) hold a joint rally outside the Canadian headquarters of Amazon and Apple in Toronto Sept. 9, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Canada's major film and TV unions are pressuring Telefilm to only fund productions that sign collective agreements.

Eight major unions and guilds representing more than 87,000 Canadian film and TV professionals say Telefilm should update its guidelines and only support productions in "good standing" with industry unions.

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The coalition, which includes ACTRA, the Writers Guild and the Directors Guild, says it met with Telefilm twice this year urging it to adopt policies they say would protect workers.

Despite these efforts, the coalition says Telefilm's updated guidelines did not implement these measures.

Telefilm said in a statement that fair working conditions are essential to a thriving audiovisual industry, and that it is in discussions with the unions and guilds to explore how they can find "sustainable solutions."

In an open letter posted today, the coalition argues "lax" policies leave workers unprotected and fail to protect taxpayer investments.

The coalition is pushing for changes to Telefilm’s guidelines ahead of the agency’s next public assembly on Nov. 28.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.