Toronto snatches Vancouver’s Hollywood North bragging rights, movie numbers show

Vancouver for years has claimed bragging rights as Hollywood North, the third largest movie and TV production centre in North America behind Los Angeles and New York.

But it may have to hand over the title to Toronto. Or maybe not.

Vancouver's Georgia Straight newspaper says B.C. Film Commission statistics show film and TV production in the province totalled $1.19 billion last year. That's up from 2010's total of $1.02 billion but is exceeded by Ontario's record $1.26-billion year.

B.C. Film Commissioner Susan Croome told the Straight last year's figures were bolstered by big Hollywood blockbusters, including Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and Superman: Man of Steel, as well as The Twilight Saga's Breaking Dawn and the wolfpack thriller The Grey.

But Ontario's list wasn't shabby, including the Total Recall remake and Pacific Rim, the two largest productions ever shot in the province.

Despite that, the Straight notes, B.C. attracted almost $567 million more in foreign production.

British Columbia was hurt by a decline in domestic production, which at about $209 million was half of 2007 levels.

Liz Shorten of the Canadian Media Production Association's B.C. branch told the Straight Ontario has an advantage because of the government's Ontario Media Development Corp., which has no B.C. equivalent. Shorten said B.C. production companies are adapting, shifting from drama to reality and lifestyle TV programming, but conceded the cheaper-to-produce shows offer less economic benefit than dramatic films or TV.

But not everyone is conceding the crown to Toronto. A recent video feature by Agence France Presse refers to Vancouver as Hollywood North and reports the West Coast city is even attracting movie and TV professionals from the Big Smoke.

Maybe the numbers don't matter if both centres are building their respective industries, albeit in fierce competition... yeah, right.