Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour Shirley Bond issued the following statement today to acknowledge the 2015 Leo Awards:

“On behalf of Premier Christy Clark and the provincial government, I’d like to recognize all those involved in the 2015 Leo Awards, celebrating excellence in British Columbia film and television.

“It takes organizers, presenters, sponsors, partners, volunteers, and of course, entries to make this three-night celebration such a great success!

“A record number of entries received for the awards this year speaks to the growth of the creative industries in our province and the first-rate creative and technical talent pool that exists in our province. Here in B.C. we have a vibrant film and television industry that entertains audiences in British Columbia and indeed around the world, by bringing stories to life on screen.

“British Columbia’s motion-picture industry supports approximately 34,000 direct and indirect jobs and this talented workforce, along with B.C.’s beautiful and diverse filming locations, and our excellence in VFX and post-production work, are some of the main reasons why the province has become one of the top centres for motion-picture production in North America.

“We also continue to support the film, TV and digital media industries in the province through generous and competitive industry incentives in the form of tax credits, as well as by providing operational funding for Creative BC, who is also a strong supporter of the industry and one of the 2015 LEO Award sponsors.

“The Government of British Columbia is proud to play a part in the growth of our province’s film and television industry which contributed approximately $1.4 billion in production expenditures based on tax credit certifications in fiscal 2013-2014.

“Our government’s focus is to continue this success by developing a strong economy that will attract international investment and job creation helping to keep our creative, home-grown talent working here in B.C.

“I’d like to congratulate all of the award nominees and winners. Thank you for your contributions to the cultural landscape of British Columbia.”

To view awards winners, visit: http://www.leoawards.com/

Media Contacts:

Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour
250 387-2799