Proposed new Alliance Atlantis mega-studio opposed by Toronto studio owners

A mammoth studio proposed by new media giant Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc is raising the ire of long-time facilities owners in Toronto. The film and broadcasting juggernaut has apparently exploited its position as the pre-eminent producer of shows to strike a quiet deal with the Toronto Economic Development Corp (TEDCO) to build a new 1.5-million square foot facility on the Port lands. The studio would be used to produce film, television and digital media content. While the proposed studio would help keep Toronto on the production map and help attract big-budget productions to the city, an association of studio owners says it feels the process has been unfair. The Ontario Film and Television Studio Owners Association (OFTSOA) says it doubts the new facility could be built without public funds, and wants Toronto mayor Mel Lastman to revisit the issue. According to a letter sent by TEDCO to Alliance, the unused Port lands in the harbour area of Toronto would be turned over to the company to build a massive new complex consisting of sound stages as well as office space and parking. Alliance’s need for more production space will increase significantly if the company is as successful as it hopes in winning licences for several new digital interactive TV channels. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission is expected to announce the licence winners next month. No terms for the deal between Alliance and TEDCO were spelled out. Studio owners represented by OFTSA say they’re upset because they have been asking for access to the site for years. The proposed development would take place on land immediately adjacent to the Big Smoke’s studio district, a fact that’s not lost on OFTSA spokesperson Ken Ferguson, also the owner of Toronto Film Studios. "It’s where the Olympics are planned if Toronto were to get the 2008 Olympics. That’s what is very disturbing to us, because the general consensus is nothing can go ahead on those lands because we are trying for the Olympic bid, and you don’t want to create something that then gets in the way," says Ferguson. "So, when you see 40 acres of that – not on the fringe but rather in the centre of the port lands – being talked about for a big mega-studio, then you have to wonder how that came about when everybody else was being told there’s nothing available." Alternative locations for building new facilities exist, he says, though the Port Lands are the prime location due to their proximity to existing studios. He says independent studio owners recognize the need to build new, purpose-built, facilities, but that they’ve been stymied to date trying to get access to choice land. Further, Ferguson says the scope of the Alliance project is out of kilter with what producers are demanding. While Toronto lags the rest of Canada in the building of new studios, he says the proposal is too big, and that the city should be supporting a greater number of smaller studios. "If people think that the solution to getting big pictures in Toronto is to build humongous studios, we would argue that’s not true. The fact is that most blockbuster films don’t need one big studio, they need a variety of smaller studios…. If somebody wants to build one that’s the biggest and the highest, that’s great for them, but let’s not put all our eggs in one basket." Ferguson says that new studios are needed in Hogtown that are built with shooting in mind, and that many of the older renovated buildings have problems with irregular shapes and soundproofing issues. Still, he says, the Alliance Atlantis proposal is far larger than most buildings being built currently – even by Hollywood standards. For the time being the project is still a proposal, and smaller studio owners are rallying for a re-examination of the issue. It’s early days, says Ferguson, and the owners have begun a PR campaign to oppose the facility and point out the apparently shady process leading to TEDCO’s offer. "The city and (TEDCO) appear to have given preferential treatment to Alliance Atlantis in working with them on this proposal. That’s upsetting to us," he says. "If they determined they wanted a film studio in that area, then why didn’t they put out a proposal call for anybody who might be interested in building studios? "There’s no doubt that Alliance Atlantis is a very prestigious and strong Canadian company that produces a lot of Canadian film and television product and distributes it," adds Ferguson. "They’re a big player. They’re as big as they come in Canada. Yes, they can open doors and get deals going that others, perhaps, couldn’t as easily. I think that’s a lot of why they’ve been looked at. People look at a re-development area and they’re looking for big mega-solutions and they went to one of the biggest companies." The OFTSOA is planning a meeting with Mel Lastman and hopes to set up another with the Ministry of Culture, Recreation and Tourism to discuss the issue. Ferguson says it’s unlikely the Alliance proposal can move ahead without consultation as no facility of its size could be built without public money – something that would require a public hearing. "We’ve been a little too quiet to this point," he says. "It’s time that our industry starts to stand up for itself and that we get people to understand what filming is all about. People think bigger is better. You know, sometimes bigger is just more expensive."

Proposed new Alliance Atlantis mega-studio opposed by Toronto studio owners

Broadcast | November 15, 2000

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