View From the Legislature

Hollywood North

  • Kelvin Goertzen, Author
  • Member of the Legislative Assembly, Steinbach

Back in 2017 it seemed like the world was ending at the gas bar at the location of the old Safeway store in Steinbach. At least that is what Hollywood wanted you to believe as they filmed “How it Ends”, a movie with a world ending plot, at that Steinbach location. There was a sense of excitement as Theo James, Forest Whitaker and other actors and local extras played their roles in our community that day.

While the filming of a movie in Manitoba often brings with it excitement, it brings other things as well. Most notably, economic activity and jobs. It may not be well known, but the film production industry in our province pumps about $365 million a year into our local economy, roughly $1 million every single day. By now, Manitobans are getting accustomed to seeing movie trailers set up at locations that are decorated for Christmas, often in the middle of the Manitoba summer.

Some locations have become favorites of Hollywood producers. The historic Exchange District in Winnipeg can pass for many North American cities. The Manitoba Legislature has doubled as several United States state and federal government buildings. Last summer, Woody Harrelson spent a couple of days filming in a Legislature committee room which was transformed into a United States court room (complete with a jail holding cell which was created for the movie in the Legislature basement).

The success of Manitoba’s film industry isn’t just because of the locations, but also because of the people. Red River College has launched a digital film and media production program as crews are in high demand. Sound and lighting technicians, production personnel, trades, culinary and hospitality employees, to name just a few, can find employment through the industry. Coupled with a film tax credit and low production costs, there is a strong sense that the film and sound industry in Manitoba is about to grow to new heights.

But there has been one demand that until this week has been impossible to meet. Direct flights from Winnipeg to Los Angeles have not been available and has at times been a determining factor on whether Manitoba lands a film. This is because film production staff who live in California strongly prefer non-stop access home to make sure they can attend to business and family matters. Of course, there is also significant demand for direct flights by Manitobans who simply want to visit California as well.

On Monday of this week, WestJet began its new direct service route from Winnipeg to Los Angeles, three times a week. A delegation of Manitoba film and tourism officials made the flight and are busy this week pitching Manitoba as a great place for the film industry to do business.

With developments such as a new direct route to California, new training for film crews, a strong tax credit plan and the natural beauty and diversity of our province, Manitobans should see even more of our province on the big screen in the years ahead and more of the economic spin off that comes with the film industry.