Environmental Sustainability

The screen content industry, in Canada and around the world, is taking meaningful action to reduce its carbon footprint and to minimize environmentally damaging practices.

Telefilm is committed to supporting this transformative journey. 

Inspired by the Indigenous perspective, where story and land and language are fundamentally interconnected, we understand that knowledge-sharing and collaboration are essential to our industry’s successful transition to sustainable production. To that end, Telefilm supports research on best practices and encourages their implementation.

We also champion training, partnerships and initiatives that seek to reduce the industry’s greenhouse gas emissions.

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Our Vision 

As a responsible leader in, and champion of, the Canadian audiovisual industry, Telefilm Canada commits to adopting eco-responsibility as a lens through which we work. This transformative commitment will be actualized in its capacity as:  

• an investor in the value chain of content production
• a promoter of Canadian talent, and the industry, both nationally and internationally
• a financial administrator
• an employer and Crown corporation 

This is in alignment with the Government of Canada’s target to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.  

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Our Commitment 

To lead and support the industry to mobilize collectively through informed, business practices; and the establishing of science-based policies and targets. This commitment will be operationalized through our Programs, Initiatives, Promotion and Communication efforts, Research, Training and HR policies. 

Telefilm works with sustainability experts to assess our role and impact, and to better understand our industry’s needs, its environmental footprint and pain points. We have also hired a sustainability advisor.

Telefilm Canada launched the first phase of its action plan on eco-responsibility in January of 2022. There is much work ahead.

The Action Plan lays out seven objectives that will affect three sectors

• Organizational (aimed at work processes and business practices) 
• ​​​​​​​Production (aimed at applicants, partners) 
• Promotion (aimed at applicants, both national and international)  

The full plan can be found below

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Tools and resources for industry practitioners

Looking for support, free training or more information on sustainable practices in production? Please refer to the following links for green vendors, best practice suggestions, green film certification programs and more.

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Research and Conferences

Telefilm is proud to share research findings related to environmental sustainability.

Telefilm Canada commissioned Leger to survey workers in the audio-visual/production industry to assess their interest and awareness towards Susbtainable/Green production practices (SGPP) in the workplace. The survey was conducted as part of Telefilm’s Action Plan on Eco-responsibility 2022.

*Only available in French

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Strategic Commitments

Below are strategic commitments made by organizations towards a more sustainable future.

• Canada’s Partnership with Indigenous Peoples on Climate
• Canadian Heritage’s 2021-2022 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report
• UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goals