FILM & TV UNIONS APPLAUD TELEFILM INSURANCE PLAN

Agency confirms compensation fund will cover claims for wages owed to cast and crew

Toronto – The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA), the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) released the following statement regarding the announcement of guidelines for Telefilm’s Short-Term Compensation Fund for Canadian Audiovisual Productions (STCF):

“Together, ACTRA, DGC and IATSE applaud Telefilm for their announcement of the Short-Term Compensation Fund for film & television production. These long-awaited federal funds will be instrumental in supporting Canadian production facing stoppages or shutdowns due to COVID-19 and fill the gap created by the lack of commercially available insurance coverage. This is vital to allow our industry to keep moving and the over 50,000 members we represent to keep working.”

“We thank Telefilm for making clear that all compensation payable to directors, actors and crew is an eligible cost for claims – including compensation rooted in a collective agreement – in the event of an interruption in filming or abandonment of production.”

“We further applaud Telefilm for ensuring sick leave and severance payments payable to cast or crew absent due to COVID-19 will be eligible expenses. The health and safety of our community is always our first and most vital concern. This temporary program not only protects producers, but also prioritizes protection for the workers our industry relies on to function both by requiring producer applicants to apply a COVID-19 safety protocol in accordance with the current standards and by ensuring workers can stay home when they are sick – a necessity in a pandemic.”

“We, once again, join together in applauding Telefilm on this wise and important initiative. We look forward to continuing to work together to support Canadian production.”