An independent registry of Northern Ontario funding Data updated Aug 17, 2026 · CC-BY-4.0
Northern Ontario Grants

Film & television

Northern Ontario became a real production cluster, Sudbury and North Bay in particular, on the strength of one stack: NOHFC's Film and Television stream layered on Ontario's tax credits. NOHFC funds up to 50% of eligible northern costs, with caps tiered by total northern spend (historically reported between $500,000 and $2 million, verify current caps before budgeting). The Ontario Film & Television Tax Credit is reported at 35% of eligible Ontario labour, plus a 10% regional bonus for production outside the Greater Toronto Area. Two honest cautions: NOHFC scoring rewards northern spending and hiring and training northern residents, so build both into the budget rather than bolting them on; and tax credits pay out after certification, long after wrap, productions finance against them, not with them.

NOHFC's Film & Television stream is the regional differentiator

A conditional contribution of up to 50% of eligible Northern Ontario costs, with caps tiered by total northern spend (historically reported $500,000–$2 million, confirm current program-guide caps). Continuous intake through the MyNOHFC portal. Scoring favours northern spend and northern hiring/training, so those line items are part of the pitch, not overhead.

Ontario Creates handles the tax-credit layer

The OFTTC is reported at 35% of eligible Ontario labour with a 10% regional bonus outside the GTA; certification runs continuously through Ontario Creates. Verify current rates and eligibility before locking a finance plan, rates here are reported, not guaranteed.

Plan cash flow around when money lands, not whether it exists

NOHFC contributions pay against milestones after approval; tax credits arrive after certification and processing, typically well after wrap. Interim financing against certified credits is standard practice in the cluster, build it into the model from day one.

Programs for you (6)

Next intake not announcedPartly repayable, check terms

Ontario Creates IP Fund

Ontario Creates

$5,000 – $500,000

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ontariocreates.ca · Last verified Aug 17, 2026 · Auto-checked against official source

Common questions

  • How much will NOHFC put into a production shooting in the North?
  • How does the OFTTC regional bonus work?
  • Do NOHFC funding and the Ontario tax credits stack?
  • What counts as northern spend?
  • When does the money actually arrive relative to production?

Longer answers are in the guides.

Common questions

Do NOHFC and the tax credits really stack?

Yes, that stack is the financial backbone of the North Bay/Sudbury production cluster. NOHFC's contribution and the OFTTC (plus regional bonus) apply to the same production, subject to each program's own rules on eligible costs.

Is the NOHFC film money a grant?

It's a conditional contribution, up to a reported 50% of eligible northern costs with tiered caps and conditions attached, approved through NOHFC's board cycle. Treat the current program guide, not historical figures, as the authority on caps.

What makes an application score well?

Reported scoring favours dollars spent in Northern Ontario and hiring or training northern residents. Productions that design northern spend into the budget, locations, crew, vendors, training positions, outperform ones that treat it as a compliance line.