$30 million film and TV studio coming to Niverville

A multi-million-dollar film and television studio village primed to set up shop in a Manitoba town will bring hundreds of new jobs, the province said.

The Manitoba government announced Thursday that a $30 million private sector investment from Volume Global and Julijette Inc. will lead to the construction of a state-of-the-art, full-service film and television studio village in Niverville, Man.

Dubbed Jette Studios, the project includes over 18,000 square feet of studio space. It will be built in two phases starting this summer.

According to the province, the project will add 300 new jobs over the next three years, and bolster both the regional economy and the province’s burgeoning film and production industry.

“Manitoba's film industry is thriving with 88 projects in the last year generating $365 million,” Manitoba’s sport, culture and heritage minister Obby Khan said in a news release.

"Whether it's the Manitoba Film and Video Production Tax Credit, our new direct flights between Winnipeg and Los Angeles, or infrastructure improvements that propel growth, we are taking concrete steps to support Manitoba jobs and grow the economy."

Additionally, Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk said the province has committed $40.6 million worth of infrastructure investments in and around Niverville in a push to bring further economic growth in the area.

The province also highlighted the Manitoba Film and Video Production Tax Credit, which it calls a stable incentive for attracting production. Last year, 122 projects cashed in on the credit that supported $525 million in production over 30 months, the province says.

"This project leverages natural advantages–proximity to the U.S. border and to an international airport in Winnipeg–with targeted investments in our infrastructure network, our talented labour force, tax credits and connectivity to Los Angeles, the entertainment capital of North America,” Piwniuk said.

Jette Studios will also receive another five per cent rural tax credit because it is being built outside of Winnipeg.