Short-Term Compensation Fund for Canadian Audiovisual Productions: Details and criteria online

The Government of Canada recently announced the creation of the Short-Term Compensation Fund for Canadian Audiovisual Productions (STCF). This temporary measure is put in place to minimize the consequences of the void created by the lack of insurance coverage for interruptions in filming and the abandonment of productions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the sector of audiovisual production.

Through the Fund, Telefilm Canada will indemnify eligible producers for Canadian production costs directly caused by an interruption of more than one day in filming or the producer’s abandonment of the production prior to the end of filming due to  a confirmed diagnosis  (COVID-19) of an actor or director declared on the insurance policy covering the project or any confirmed outbreak (COVID-19) on set that requires a complete production shutdown in accordance with current standards required by the applicable authorities.

The fulfilment of the Fund’s eligibility criteria does not guarantee access to the Fund. Applications will be processed on a first come, first served basis, incumbent on earliest date of start of principal photography. However, Telefilm reserves the right to apply its discretionary judgment to ensure a portfolio that reflects the many perspectives of the audiovisual industry.

Details and criteria for the application process are now online.

Telefilm will begin accepting applications on October 30, 2020.

Since this Fund is intended for a broader clientele, and many eligible companies may not be Telefilm clients, a practical guide will soon be made available to better assist applicants. We encourage companies to register for our online platform, Dialogue, if they do not yet have an account.

Any questions can be sent to covid-19@telefilm.ca.