Hyperlocal Ontario Action Plan recommends decentralizing Ontario’s domestic industry to better support independent producers and drive economic growth province-wide
Kingston, Ontario – July 14, 2025 – A new study released today by Kingston Economic Development Corporation provides a framework to decentralize, grow, and future-proof Ontario’s domestic media production industry. Authored by J. Joly, principal of Kingston-based film production company Branded to Film (B2F), the Hyperlocal Ontario Action Plan (HOAP) draws on real-world case studies, accepted models, contemporaneous data, and insights from industry experts to provide a critical path for mid-size Ontario cities to build a diverse and scalable media production sector in their community. Co-written by Joanne Archibald and edited by Kate Betts-Willmott, HOAP is published in partnership with Kingston Film & Media and Frontenac Business Services, and supported by Ontario Creates.
“Ontario Creates was pleased to support this report, which identifies and maps the key elements for building strong production hubs which include having film-friendly policies and expertise, diverse location inventories and access to talent, as well as workforce development opportunities,” said Karen Thorne-Stone, President & Chief Executive Officer, Ontario Creates. “Kingston is well positioned for success, and other Ontario regions can learn from this work. Together we can continue to build robust film hubs across the province cementing Ontario’s reputation as a world leader.”
Hollywood dominance in the Greater Toronto–Hamilton Area (GTHA), combined with the rising cost of living and doing business in major urban centres, continues to create downward pressure on low- and mid-level domestic producers. While Northern Ontario offers relief, its regional incentive program is increasingly oversubscribed, and its setting does not suit all projects. To ensure the sustainability of independent domestic producers, there is a need to develop new hubs in affordable, accessible mid-sized Ontario cities like Kingston.
“By embracing the decentralization of film production, the action plan positions Ontario as a leader in the future of media,” said Joly. “It creates a complete ecosystem for success with lower costs, a collaborative creative culture, and an unmatched sense of community.”
“By harnessing inherent cost advantages, retaining and training local talent, and attracting new Kingstonians, HOAP demonstrates how Kingston and other similar-sized cities provide an alternative for film professionals looking for options outside of the GTHA, including the chance to return and work in their hometowns,” said Joanne Loton, Film Commissioner, Kingston Film & Media.
A core tenet of HOAP is to retain local youth who are drawn to creative industries like film, but often end up leaving their hometowns for bigger urban centres. To build a local workforce, the report points to experiential on-set training as the best method, as exemplified by the proof-of-concept productions of the first $1M+ original features developed, produced and delivered from Kingston, B2F’s Den Mother Crimson (2023) and Doom Boogie (2025). Den Mother Crimson featured 60% local crew, growing to 87% with Doom Boogie.
“Cities like Kingston will play a pivotal role in driving not only Ontario’s but also Canada’s economic growth across all industries by activating the high-potential creative hubs for domestic film production,” said Donna Gillespie, Chief Executive Officer, Kingston Economic Development Corporation. “Kingston is well positioned to become a leading film production destination of choice and home to an active local industry.”
The study also looks at Victoria, British Columbia– a mid-size city with many of the same attributes as Kingston – as an example of the evolution of a sustainable production sector, growing from $3M annually in production in 2014 to more than $50 million today. It is a model for what is possible in Ontario, as rising costs increasingly price independent producers out of the GTHA, as they did in Vancouver.
“Having had the pleasure of recently shooting in Kingston, I have seen firsthand that the growth of Ontario film and television production isn’t rooted solely in major cities,” said producer John Weber, President and CEO of Take 5 Productions. “Mid-sized communities like Kingston offer a production ecosystem that’s affordable, efficient and genuinely supportive. The variety of locations and development of local crew enhance Ontario’s offering as a film jurisdiction enabling us to continue to create world-class stories that resonate beyond our borders.”
Creative industries have been identified as a priority sector for economic development and tourism in Kingston. HOAP provides a strategic direction for media production in the city which includes a film studio announced in the fall of 2024.
To learn more about the creative industries in Kingston and to read the full Hyperlocal Ontario Action Plan, visit www.investkingston.ca/creatives
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Media Contacts:
Daniel Solorio
Marketing & Communications Manager
Kingston Economic Development Corporation
613-329-9270
solorio@investkingston.ca
