Image from Dreamstime

By Connor Gunn

Alberta becoming major film & TV hub, province cites tax credit

Aug 3, 2021 | 2:52 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Alberta is getting the attention from large television and movie production companies to film in its landscape.

With the Film and Television Tax Credit, major productions have been moving to the province.

Since the program’s launch in January 2020, it has attracted 50 productions to Alberta with total production costs of $955 million.

The projects have created an estimated 9,000 new direct and indirect jobs in the province.

A release from the province states that these massive productions are “injecting hundreds of millions of dollars in investment into the economy as these productions hire local crews, actors, and extras, and use local businesses.”

Nighttime construction on Hwy 3 in Lethbridge starts April 17

Apr 17, 2025

SASHA launches #BuyABed fundraiser to support vulnerable Lethbridge residents

Apr 04, 2025

$20K grants available: TELUS STORYHIVE Pan-Asian Edition opens applications April 1

Mar 18, 2025

HBO is currently filming its new television series, The Last of Us, in Alberta. The province says it is the single largest television series production in Canadian history and is expected to create thousands of jobs.

Previous story: “The Last of Us” filming in Southern Alberta this summer, extras needed

Premier Jason Kenney says this tax credit makes Alberta competitive with places in the United States for filming locations.

“The boom in our film industry is the perfect example of Alberta’s Recovery Plan in action. Thanks to the Film and Television Tax Credit, and our recent improvements to it, we are witnessing a new billion-dollar industry take shape right before our eyes, further diversifying the economy and creating new jobs.”

Minister of Jobs, Economy, and Innovation, Doug Schweitzer, says the province provides a unique filming experience.

“Alberta is the new Hollywood. With our stunning landscapes, our immense talent, and our world-class studios, our province is being showcased on the big screen in a way that it never has before, with thousands of jobs being created in everything from carpentry to catering.”

The province says these projects like The Last of Us and Ghostbusters: Afterlife can attract productions worth nearly one billion dollars.