City funding to the Greater Victoria Film Commission has been restored.
Victoria councillors reversed a funding cut to the film commission and removed a $25,000 cap on Strategic Planning Grants.
The decision came at the urging of Coun. Jeremy Loveday and after councillors received more than 50 letters from businesses and residents supporting the commission.
“I’m really excited,” Loveday said. “I think we made a good choice and I look forward to 2016 being another banner year for the film industry.”
The film commission received a grant of $45,000 from the city last year.
Film commissioner Kathleen Gilbert said the funding cut would have been devastating and made little economic sense. The film commission conservatively brought more than $18 million to the Greater Victoria economy last year — mostly in Victoria and Saanich — while operating on a budget of $175,000, she said.
In considering imposing the $25,000 cap on grants, councillors had already exempted the Coalition to End Homelessness, grandfathering its $100,000 grant.
Other groups, including Tourism Victoria and Beacon Services, were also facing reduced grants under the policy.
