It's important to be clear up front what we mean when we refer to feature films. We mean films that are scripted, developed, produced, and marketed with the intention of being released first in cinemas, the big screen, recognizing nonetheless that movies are more often seen on a multitude of other viewing platforms and especially on television.
Feature films are a unique form of audiovisual content. They are conceived to be experienced in a linear uninterrupted fashion, thus inviting the audience to connect with the characters and be drawn into the story. Feature film is indeed a distinct form of storytelling.
There are other characteristics about feature film that are also important to highlight. First, they are expensive to make if one wants to do so and do so well, to compete with the best the world has to offer. Second, the level of competition especially in English Canada is extremely fierce. This and other factors translate to Canadian feature films being a very high-risk endeavour for everyone involved.
If not for the generous and ongoing support from all levels of government, we would have a mere shadow of a film industry compared to what we have collectively built in Canada over the last 50 years. I would offer that we have a lot to be proud of and a lot to celebrate from our recent successes in Cannes to the global importance of the Toronto International Film Festival, but I would also suggest that together we can and should do better.
We can and should grow our film industry and with that multiply the job opportunities for Canadians seeking to work in this important creative sector, and especially for young Canadians. We can and should enhance the contribution this sector makes to Canada's economy and prosperity. Quite frankly, we can and should ascend our rooftops and shout this out loud so that all of Canada and indeed the entire world knows about it.
The feature film industry in Canada is a significant one. It is comprised of two distinct sectors. On the one hand, we have the Canadian content sector. This relates to feature films that are certified as Canadian by either CAVCO or the CRTC. This sector also includes films that are produced pursuant to one of Canada's many international co-production treaties. On the other hand, we have the foreign production services sector. This involves film production being carried out by a producer in Canada, but on behalf of a foreign company that ultimately owns the copyright on that film. These foreign companies are very often, but not exclusively, the Hollywood-based studios.
Total production activity related to Canadian content films alone was $376 million in 2013-14. This volume sustained 8,100 full-time equivalent jobs. Foreign film production in the same year accounted for another $857 million and just over 18,000 full-time equivalent jobs. This data only tells a small part of the story. When the entire film and television value chain is taken into account, and admittedly that's going beyond the strict confines of feature film, the numbers are impressive. It makes a $20.4 billion contribution to Canada's GDP. It constitutes 262,000 full-time equivalent jobs. There is $12.8 billion of labour income for Canadians. There is $5.5 billion in tax revenue to various treasuries, and it accounts for $2.4 billion in exports.
Paul.