Toronto, ON, August 20, 2008 – Mayor David Miller along with Jeffrey Steiner, President and CEO of the Toronto Economic Development Corporation (TEDCO); Ken Ferguson, President of FILMPORT and renowned Canadian Director David Cronenberg officially opened Phase 1 of FILMPORT today.

FILMPORT is Canada’s newest and largest convergence district for film, TV and digital media companies. Phase 1 sits on part of a 47 acre site in the Port Lands with TEDCO as the land-owner and landlord in a unique public-private partnership. FILMPORT and TEDCO are playing a key role in bolstering Toronto’s film industry by making it more competitive internationally, attracting and retaining jobs, and kick-starting the regeneration of Toronto’s Port Lands.

“The completion of Phase 1 of FILMPORT STUDIOS is significant,” said Mayor David Miller.  “FILMPORT will provide a huge boost to Toronto’s screen-based industries by creating opportunities for our highly skilled work force.  This new project will also enhance the City’s international reputation and will help support a prosperous and creative Toronto.”

Designed by Quadrangle Architects Ltd., Phase 1 of FILMPORT STUDIOS occupies over a quarter of a million sq. ft. of production space, including seven sound stages, and is now the largest and most technologically advanced film studio in Canada.  It is also the largest studio complex outside of Los Angeles and home to North America’s largest purpose-built sound stage covering a massive 45,900 sq. ft with more than an acre of column-free space below a 6-storey high lighting grid. 

Ultimately, the FILMPORT community will exceed 3 million sq. ft. of space for ancillary film and TV businesses such as post-production companies, union and guild offices, film schools, and amenities such as restaurants and shops clustered around it – creating a film and TV business community unlike anywhere else in the world. It will support employment of 2,000 people on the studio lot and up to 4,000 more in the surrounding commercial buildings.

“FILMPORT offers a premium film-making experience that is second to none,” said Ken Ferguson, President of FILMPORT. “We have created an ultra-modern, high-tech facility that will accommodate the most ambitious of feature films.”   

The opening of FILMPORT represents the accomplishment of a key milestone in the revitalization of the Port Lands and in the City of Toronto’s overall strategy to strengthen the competitiveness of Toronto’s film industry. 

“FILMPORT STUDIOS adds much needed capacity and quality so that Toronto can compete with the best in the global marketplace for major motion pictures,” said Jeffrey Steiner, President and CEO of TEDCO. “FILMPORT is also the first private investment in revitalizing Toronto’s waterfront, so it’s a great leap forward for both the film industry and the citizens of Toronto.”
As the City’s urban development corporation, TEDCO drew upon research that identified the need for purpose-built studio space and mega sound stages for Toronto to compete globally for major motion pictures. TEDCO was asked by the City of Toronto to assemble an investment consortium and following a two-stage international competition, Toronto Film Studios and parent Rose Corporation won the rights to develop the site. A third shareholder, Comweb, has since joined the private investment group.

FILMPORT is certain to attract global attention with its high-tech cluster of facilities, unique location on Toronto’s waterfront, access to a skilled base of local film-making talent and green initiatives. The entire FILMPORT complex is wired with fibre-optic cabling on an infrastructure that will easily meet the future needs of the film, TV and digital media industry and is unrivalled with respect to robustness, reliability, scalability and security. Able to accommodate any size of production, FILMPORT is the Future of Film.

In partnership with TEDCO’s focus on sustainable development and environmental stewardship, FILMPORT is committed to leading the way in greening the film industry.  FILMPORT has been designed using green technologies making it easier for producers to reach their sustainability goals. As  a founding member of Green Screen Toronto, FILMPORT endorses a set of environmentally sustainable standards to help encourage green film-making.