For the first time, Canada’s major content organizations and financiers forge a coalition called “Green Frame” to shrink the industry’s environmental impact and make a sustainable difference
Green Frame’s mission is to reduce the environmental impact of producing and financing television and film in Canada.
Canada’s most significant Crown corporations, federally funded organizations and CRTC mandated screen-based content funds have formed a new coalition called “Green Frame” which strives to reduce the environmental impact of Canadian TV and film production. Green Frame will collaborate and encourage sustainability throughout a production’s lifecycle – starting from when a piece of content is commissioned to when it is produced, financed and distributed.
Spearheaded by CBC/Radio-Canada, the group is made up of the the Bell Fund, the Black Screen Office, the Broadcasting Accessibility Fund, the Canadian Independent Screen Fund for BPOC Creators, the Canada Media Fund, the Independent Production Fund, the Indigenous Screen Office, the National Film Board of Canada, the Shaw Rocket Fund and Telefilm Canada.
Green Frame aims to move the needle on the industry’s sustainability progress through harmonizing our actions so that creators and producers are better equipped to implement new sustainable practices. Green Frame will:
- collaborate on guidelines, requirements, tools, best practices and training, where appropriate, to make sustainable content creation, production and distribution more impactful, easier, faster, and less costly;
- share and leverage resources to support industry research, joint initiatives and information exchange;
- engage underrepresented communities that are disproportionately affected by climate change including Indigenous peoples, Black people, People of Colour, Persons with disabilities and 2SLGBTQIA+communities; and
- expand its network of collaborators both inside and outside of Canada to learn and share learnings about sustainability and build towards more impactful change.
In addition to the above goals, each member of Green Frame has committed to a set of initial actions including for each organization to generate its own corporate sustainability plan, to work together and share publicly available carbon calculator results and sustainability plans, and to collaborate annually on how to accelerate the decarbonization of production through current and future incentives; common requirements and/or minimums.
To ensure maximum impact and minimum overlap, Green Frame will collaborate with other industry coalitions that are committed to advancing sustainability including Canadian Broadcasters for Sustainability, Producing for the Planet, Reel Green, Ontario Creates and On Tourne Vert.
Watch the introductory video here.
“How we produce our series and films matters as much as what we produce. That’s why I’m delighted that 10 of Canada’s most prominent screen organizations have joined CBC/Radio-Canada in committing to work together to reduce our industry’s environmental footprint. Together, we’re going to make a real impact in making our industry more sustainable.”
Catherine Tait, President and CEO, CBC/Radio-Canada
“The screen content industry is embracing a bold shift towards reducing its environmental impact. With Green Frame, we are uniting to drive this change. Telefilm remains committed to this transformative journey—standing together, building partnerships, and sharing knowledge to drive real, lasting change — setting the future for the next generation of creators. By harmonizing our efforts and supporting one another, we facilitate the seamless integration of innovation and sustainability within our industry.”
Julie Roy, Executive Director and CEO, Telefilm Canada
Quotes
“We’re proud to join the Green Frame initiative, working alongside fellow screen organizations to champion sustainability and reduce our environmental impact. By uniting our efforts, we’re not only fostering a greener industry, but also securing a healthier future for our children.”
Agnes Augustin, President & CEO, Shaw Rocket Fund
“Sustainability and accessibility are clearly integrated as pivotal, achievable objectives in ensuring a future that is environmentally strong and equitable for all Canadians regardless of ability. Green Frame is a vital initiative in this critical journey.”
Richard Cavanagh, CEO, Broadcasting Accessibility Fund
“In the same way we support our country’s storytellers, we also have a responsibility to protect the world in which their stories are told. Through Green Frame, we are forging a united path toward sustainable production, ensuring that our industry’s environmental practices evolve as dynamically as our content.”
Valerie Creighton, President and CEO of the Canada Media Fund
“The Bell Fund encourages all applicants to undertake measures to reduce their carbon footprint. We are thrilled to join the Green Frame initiative. Through collaboration with other leaders and organizations, we will advance the change that is needed to continue to foster amazing stories and projects, while reducing the industry’s environmental impact.”
Marcia Douglas, Executive Director, Bell Fund
“The NFB is honoured to be part of this important collaboration between national film institutions, and remains committed to reducing the environmental impact of its activities. By working together, we hope to accelerate our collective effort to make our industry more sustainable.”
Suzanne Guèvremont, Commissioner & President of the National Film Board of Canada
“Green Frame marks a crucial step toward sustainable storytelling in Canada. By uniting our industry, we can significantly reduce our environmental impact and ensure that all voices, especially those from underrepresented communities, contribute to a greener future for content creation.”
Joan Jenkinson, CEO of the Black Screen Office
“CISF is pleased to be a part of Green Frame and looks forward to working with our industry colleagues to learn about, share, and encourage best practices to ensure the environmental sustainability of our sector in a way that is equitable for all.”
Sally Lee, Executive Director, Canadian Independent Screen Fund for Black and People of Colour Creators
“The scale of the climate crisis requires an all-hands-on-deck approach. The IPF is excited to work with Green Frame and the other screen industry organizations who share our goal of supporting stories that reflect the world we live in, while minimizing the emissions impact of how those stories are made. Together we are stronger.”
Mark Shapland, Associate Manager and Climate Lens Facilitator, Independent Production Fund
“This collaboration presents a valuable opportunity for the ISO to partner with key industry organizations that share a commitment to promoting environmentally sustainable practices at every stage of production. Green Frame aligns with the ISO’s mandate and the values of Indigenous communities.”
Kerry Swanson, CEO of the Indigenous Screen Office
About
CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.
Bell Fund
The Bell Fund is a not-for-profit, certified independent production fund that supports Canadian media content makers in creating for, and connecting with, audiences here and everywhere. The Fund is governed by a nine-member board operating at arm’s length from its contributors and has offices in Toronto and Montreal. Since 1997 the Bell Fund has received over $275 million in financial contributions from Bell TV to support Canadian independent producers in the development and production of great Canadian content.
Black Screen Office
BSO’s goals are to make Canada’s screen industries’ practices and policies equitable and free of anti-Black racism; to work collaboratively with decision-makers to develop tools and strategies that enable system-level engagement and accountability; and to empower Black Canadians working within the screen industries to thrive and share their stories.
Broadcasting Accessibility Fund
In operation since 2014, the Broadcasting Accessibility Fund (BAF) is an independent, impartial not-for-profit granting agency that supports innovative projects that tangibly advance accessibility to broadcast programming content across all platforms for Canadians with disabilities.
Independent Production Fund
The Independent Production Fund was established in 1991 to provide financial support for dramatic television series created by Canadian independent producers for Canadian private broadcasters. In 2010, the IPF expanded its mandate to include an experimental pilot program to finance drama series for the web. This program now continues to support content creators of dramatic short form series created for digital platforms. In addition, in 2020 new funding and support for the development of scripted short-form series launches. In 2018 the IPF’s financial support for dramatic broadcast television series was also reinstated.
Indigenous Screen Office
The Indigenous Screen Office is an independent national advocacy and funding organization serving First Nations, Inuit and Métis creators of screen content in Canada. The ISO’s mandate is to foster and support narrative sovereignty and cultural revitalization by increasing Indigenous storytelling on screens and promoting Indigenous values and participation across the sector.
National Film Board of Canada (NFB)
Founded in 1939, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is a one-of-a-kind producer, co-producer and distributor of distinctive, engaging, relevant and innovative documentary and animated films. As a talent incubator, it is one of the world’s leading creative centres. The NFB has enabled Canadians to tell and hear each other’s stories for over eight decades, and its films are a reliable and accessible educational resource. The NFB is also recognized around the world for its expertise in preservation and conservation, and for its rich and vibrant collection of works, which form a pillar of Canada’s cultural heritage. To date, the NFB has produced more than 14,000 works, 6,500 of which can be streamed free of charge at nfb.ca. The NFB and its productions and co-productions have earned over 7,000 awards, including 11 Oscars and an Honorary Academy Award for overall excellence in cinema.
Shaw Rocket Fund
The Shaw Rocket Fund is a vital partner of the Canadian children’s media sector in offering children robust, world-leading content on all platforms. The Rocket Fund invests in and supports Canadian-made media that reflects Canadian values and diversity, and most of all respects and speaks to children, while positively showcasing Canadian leadership on the world stage. By working with producers, regulators, and governments, the Shaw Rocket Fund aims to make quality content for kids a global priority. Since its inception, the Shaw Rocket Fund has invested over $281 million to support the production of Canadian media content for children, family, and youth audiences worldwide. To learn more about the Shaw Rocket Fund, go to rocketfund.ca.
Telefilm Canada
As a Partner of Choice, Telefilm Canada is a Crown corporation dedicated to the success of Canada’s audiovisual industry, fostering access and excellence by delivering programs that support cultural resonance and audience engagement. With a lens of equity, inclusivity and sustainability, Telefilm bolsters dynamic companies and a range of creative talent at home and around the world. Telefilm also makes recommendations regarding the certification of audiovisual coproduction treaties to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, and administers the programs of the Canada Media Fund. Launched in 2012, the Talent Fund raises private donations which principally support emerging talent. Visit telefilm.ca and follow us on X at x.com/Telefilm_Canada and on Facebook at facebook.com/telefilmcanada.
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Media contact
Joyce Richards
Advisor, Public Relations – Telefilm Canada
Joyce.Richards@telefilm.ca
Denisha Rollins
Executive Assistant – Black Screen Office
assistant@bso-ben.ca
Richard Cavanagh
President & CEO – Broadcasting Accessibility Fund
richard@baf-far.ca, 613-915-5575
Jean-François D. O’Bomsawin
Director of Marketing & Communications – Indigenous Screen Office
jfobomsawin@iso-bea.ca
Mark Shapland
Associate Manager and Climate Lens Facilitator – Independent Production Fund
mshapland@ipf.ca
Lily Robert
Director, Communications and Public Affairs – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)
l.robert@nfb.ca, 514-296-8261
Eric Wright
Senior Specialist, Media Relations – CBC/Radio-Canada
eric.wright@cbc.ca