Film supporters rally at Province House
Posted Apr 15, 2015 07:07:26 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Nova Scotia film community made its voice heard Wednesday afternoon.
They spent the afternoon marching around Province House, asking the government to reconsider cuts to the film tax credit.
Jonathan Torrens, of Trailer Park Boys and Mr. D says the cut to the film tax credit will shut down the film industry in Nova Scotia, and he doesn’t think the government has considered the ripple effect.
“I think on paper maybe this was a decision that made sense,” he said. “They didn’t do proper consultation with our community to examine the repercussions of all the ancillary businesses that this will affect.”
Wednesday’s rally comes on the heels of a meeting held between the finance minister and key industry players.
Screen Nova Scotia, the lobby group representing industry, came out of the meeting feeling hopeful, but plans to continue their campaign to convince the government to change course.
Screen Nova Scotia chair Marc Almon said the government made its decision based on faulty data.
He says Wednesday’s rally shows the creativity and vibrancy of the community.
“I think it shows definitively that this is an industry that this province needs,” he said. “And it is vital to its future.”
Almon says he knows it’s rare for a government to change a budget after its tabled, but he’s hopeful that the government will see the light.
Wednesday’s rally outside Province House will took over all surrounding streets including Granville, George, Hollis and Prince.
Some estimates put the crowd at 5,000.