NDP reinforces pledge to boost funding to the arts industry

The Saskatchewan NDP is reinforcing their promise that, if elected, they would boost funding to the province's arts industry.

NDP leader Cam Broten repeated the pledge at La Troupe Du Jour in Saskatoon on Thursday night. He said the Saskatchewan Party should recognize that cancelling the film tax credit in 2012 was a mistake.

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"The need to better diversify our economy, the need to provide opportunity for our young people, the need to celebrate who we are as Saskatchewan people, to celebrate our stories, and the need to share them, not only with the people of the province, but around the world," Broten said.

He said, if elected, the NDP would restore a film employment tax credit and boost funding for other cultural industries by 50 per cent. The funding increase would invest $3 million more over four years in addition to the funding available through the tax credit.

"We want to rebuild the film industry in Saskatchewan," Broten said.

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Broten pointed to a 2012 study from the province's Chamber of Commerce which found that at $1 million per year, the net economic benefit of the film tax credit was $44.5 million.

"At a time when we have a downturn in natural resources it would be great to have more film jobs, it would be great to have restaurants and hotels busier," Broten said.

During the leaders' debate on Wednesday night, Wall was asked about the film industry.

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"Out of the provinces in Canada, six of the 10 no longer have a tax credit, they moved to a grant," Wall said during the debate.

"That's what we have today in Saskatchewan. Under Creative Saskatchewan we are providing grants to film."