The Manitoba Film and Video Production Tax Credit will continue until 2005. The extension of the expiry date, originally set for early 2002, will lend consistency to the provincial industry, says Manitoba Film and Sound's manager, film programs, Alexa Rosentreter.

"It provides stability for the industry - so producers can plan production schedules and financing."

Another change, also announced in the provincial budget speech in early April and also effective from that date, legislates the removal of the assets cap, meaning there will no longer be any eligibility restriction regarding the assets of the production company or its affiliates.

"Previously there was a requirement in the tax credit that corporations with in excess of $50 million in assets were not eligible," says Rosentreter. "It's just made it easy. In the industry with convergence and consolidation, companies are naturally getting bigger, so we don't want to exclude any partners." *

-www.mbfilmsound.mb.ca