The underfunding of local productions threatens Francophone culture and the safety of workers, deplores section 514 of the Association québécoise des technicians de l’image et du son, in the wake of the provincial budget.

“By failing to increase the amounts devoted to the development of the local audiovisual industry, [the government] is depriving itself of one of the main tools for disseminating our language and our culture,” said Christian Lemay, president of AQTIS. 514 IATSE.

This underfunding also has an impact on the health and safety of workers, adds the union, since it imposes shooting rates “which are not sustainable and promote the development of precariousness”. He also deplores the lack of effort devoted to making conditions more favorable to foreign filming in Quebec.

The AQTIS 514 IATSE brings together approximately 8,000 freelance professionals practicing 200 different trades related to audiovisual production, from design to post-production.