Ottawa’s booming film industry is bracing for uncertainty after U.S President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 100% tariff on all films made outside the United States. While no policy has been put in place, local industry leaders say even the possibility of these tariffs could disrupt Canadian productions and the communities that rely on them. “We have about 30 movies a year, plus some TV projects,” John Koensgen, ACTRA Ottawa president says. “We generate about $120 million in business here in Ottawa, at about $11 billion nationwide, so it’s a big industry and hires a lot of people.” In recent years, Ottawa has become a magnet for movie makers. Hallmark favourites like “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” (2022) and “Unlocking Christmas” (2020) were filmed in the city. In 2024, Canada’s capital was used in 30 feature-length films, including the Netflix produced “Hot Frosty,” which became a worldwide hit. Koensgen says he doesn’t believe these tariffs will materialize, but the threat of them alone could be enough to cause trouble in the industry. “A Trump tweet like this generates uncertainty, and that’s just as bad in a way, because it makes people reticent to invest,” Koensgen says. Earlier this year in May, Trump made similar threats to impose a 100 per cent tariff on foreign films. Almonte, a ward town of Mississippi Mills southwest of Ottawa, has quickly become ‘the Christmas Capital of Canada’ thanks to its popularity as a filming location in holiday movies. Mayor of Mississippi Mills Christa Lowry says productions in the town have not been affected by Trump’s recent words. “There’s certainly a message from the location managers and the production companies that we work with that work is carrying on,” Lowry says. “It’s too early to react just yet.” “There’s been enormously rapid growth in the film industry in the Ottawa region and many people from this area work full time in that production,” she adds. “Mississippi Mills may not feel a significant direct impact as a municipality, but those connections that we’ve made through the film projects we deeply value those and we want the best for the region and for the Canadian film industry.” A look at some of the holiday movies recently filmed in Ottawa can be found here.
