Ontario Film Commission Quarterly News

Ontario Welcomes the World to TIFF: The Market

This September, Ontario Creates is proud to welcome industry partners from around the world to the inaugural TIFF: The Market, a new global destination for business, networking, and industry engagement during the Toronto International Film Festival.

Visit the Ontario Creates booth (B1) on the Market floor at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre to connect with the Ontario Film Commission and learn more about the advantages of producing in Ontario. The Ontario Pavilion is intended to serve as a hub for Ontario's production industry ecosystem, and we encourage stakeholders attending the market to use the space to connect with delegates, partners, and prospective clients. Throughout the week, representatives from Ontario Film Commission and Tax Credits teams will be present at the stand to highlight our production advantages, including: locations, tax credits, studio infrastructure, VFX, animation, post-production, crew depth, and production services.

TIFF: The Market takes place September 10-16 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, with exhibition hours at the Ontario Creates stand from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. Ontario delegates and visiting industry professionals are encouraged to stop by the Ontario Creates stand (B1) to meet with fellow industry and discover why Ontario continues to be one of the world’s premier production destinations. 

Access to TIFF: The Market and the exhibition floor is restricted to accredited Market pass delegates. Industry professionals are encouraged to secure their accreditation in advance.

Celebrating Ontario’s TIFF Lineup

The province has a strong presence at TIFF 2026, with 12 made-in-Ontario productions selected in the official program, including TIFF’s opening night film, BEING HEUMANN (Apple). From independent features and documentaries to animation and international coproductions, this year’s selection reflects the depth of talent, creativity, and production capacity that continues to drive Ontario’s screen sector and attract investment from around the world.

We congratulate the producers, directors, cast, crew, vendors, suppliers and studios behind these projects and look forward to sharing them with audiences at TIFF.

Visit the links below for festival schedules and ticket details.

New Filming Guidelines in Toronto

The City of Toronto has implemented a new fee structure for Old City Hall which will provide a more flexible approach to billing productions for location use. Through waivers and fee reductions, the final cost can be brought more in line with competitively priced buildings across the City of Toronto. The new approach also provides greater flexibility around prep and wrap periods, helping productions better manage their overall costs. For more on this location, visit the Ontario Locations Database listing.

The Toronto Film Office has also introduced updated guidelines for productions planning high impact special effects activity within the city. Productions are encouraged to review the updated guidelines early in the planning process to help ensure sufficient time for approvals and community notification.

Learn more about Toronto’s Special Effects Filming Guidelines.

Ontario Showcases 
VFX and Post-Production Excellence

From July 28-30, Ontario Creates hosted a VFX and Post-Production Familiarization Tour, welcoming executives from Warner Bros. (Features & Television), Lionsgate, and AMC Global for a firsthand look at Ontario’s world-class creative and technical capabilities. 

Through meetings, facility visits, and demos, the tour showcased Ontario’s exceptional talent, advanced infrastructure, competitive stackable incentives, and collaborative approach to supporting projects of all sizes. The initiative gave Ontario industry partners the opportunity to hear directly from key clients about evolving business priorities, market conditions, and production needs, helping strengthen relationships and identify future opportunities for growth.

Ontario Creates extends its thanks to the many industry partners who participated in the tour and generously shared their expertise, insights, and facilities. The collaboration helped showcase the strength of Ontario’s VFX, animation, and post-production community to leading global content creators.

I Will Find You Finds Global Success

Congratulations to the cast, crew, and production partners behind Netflix’s I Will Find You, which has become the streamer’s biggest original scripted debut of 2026. The series has remained in Netflix’s Top 10 English-language series rankings for more than ten consecutive weeks, amassing over 2.5  million views and reaching audiences around the world.

Filmed throughout Ontario, the production leveraged the province’s diverse locations and world-class production infrastructure, with filming taking place at Cinespace Toronto, and across Kingston, Toronto, Mississauga, and Brantford. The series also showcased Ontario’s technical innovation, utilizing cutting-edge virtual production and LED volume technology at the Immersion Room to support complex driving sequences.

From locations and studios to post-production and emerging technologies, I Will Find You demonstrates the depth of talent, infrastructure, and expertise available across Ontario’s screen industry.

FX’s What We Do in the Shadows: An Ontario Story

Over six acclaimed seasons, FX’s What We Do in the Shadows showcased the creativity, talent, and production expertise that make Ontario a leading destination for screen production. Filmed in Ontario throughout its run, the Emmy-winning comedy relied on the skill and dedication of local cast, crew, and craftspeople to bring its unique world to life.

Ontario Creates recently sat down with key members of the production team, including Production Designer Shayne Fox, Costume Designer Laura Montgomery, and Stunt Coordinator and Director Tig Fong, to reflect on the series’ creative journey and celebrate the Ontario talent behind its success.

Dufferin Gate Studios

To support circularity and re-use, Dufferin Gate Studios is now offering new standings sets, including: a diner and school set. 

The 3,713 sq-ft school set includes a hallway, lockers and a working classroom that is set up as a two-story set with a faux-stairwell. It comes production-ready for storylines focused on student or education. Standing Sets – Hallway & Classroom – Dufferin Gate.

The 1,293 sq-ft diner set includes a classic North American diner set featuring retro booths and service counter. This set includes set dressing and props. Standing Sets – Diner – Dufferin Gate.

Standing sets can reduce construction and labour costs, minimize waste, shorten production timelines, and make Ontario an even more attractive destination for projects whose storylines require these types of environments.

SOS DEPOT

Ontario’s film and television industry is taking an important step toward a more sustainable future with the launch of the Southern Ontario Sustainability (SOS) Depot pilot, in partnership with Ontario Green Screen. The initiative will help reduce production waste and support circular design-build practices by creating a centralized hub for the reuse of set construction materials, assets, and scenery that might otherwise end up in landfill. Located at Cinespace Toronto (777 Kipling), the pilot aims to make reusable production resources more accessible while encouraging sustainable practices across the industry. As the SOS launches, productions are encouraged to donate surplus materials to help stock the space and build a valuable inventory for future reuse by Ontario productions. This collaborative effort by Mary Anne Waterhouse, Marian Wihak, Pete Miskimmin and Joe Madziak positions Ontario as a leader in practical sustainability solutions for the screen-based industry.

Check out these recent Made in Ontario releases:

ACTRA Toronto 

Ontario is home to one of North America’s deepest and most diverse pools of performance talent. From internationally recognized stars to emerging performers building exciting careers, ACTRA Toronto members continue to make their mark across film, television, animation, and commercial production.

Producers and industry professionals are invited to get to know some of the exciting talent working in the province here,  On-Camera Performance, Commercial Performance, and Voice Performance with spotlights on the nominees for the 2026 ACTRA Awards.

Check out the latest issue of Applause Magazine, which features celebrated ACTRA Toronto members including Shamier Anderson, Tantoo Cardinal, Stephan James, Mae Martin, Mike Myers, and Jason Priestley.

Follow ACTRA Toronto on Instagram @actratoronto for news and TIFF related updates.

JUSTIN CUTLER
Ontario Film Commissioner

DOUG TILL
Production Consultant

ERICA PROUDLOCK
Production Consultant

MARC FIORENTINO
Business Officer in Los Angeles

JESSICA JENNINGS
Production Consultant, Environmental Services