President's message

Change, evolution, ability to adapt - these are all key to the survival of the content production industry today.  The new regulations of the Canada Media Fund have impacted the basic principles of television program financing, by requiring, among other things, a second platform for the exhibition of content.  Advances in new technologies and new patterns of audience viewing habits require that we rethink our own practices and revise our procedures in order to operate effectively in this evolving environment.

In these conditions, the ability to adapt becomes a fundamental condition for success.  The Cogeco Fund has shown, year after year, that it can indeed adapt to change and has not hesitated to modify its guidelines in order to respond to the growing needs of the industry.

The pre-development program, created in 2008, is an example.  The Fund has received 123 applications for funding in this pre-development program in the past two years, while receiving an average of thirty requests per year for development of series and MOW's.  The innovative Corporate Theatrical Feature Film Development Program has also been widely appreciated with nearly 200 requests for funding from feature film production companies across the country since its inception in 1999.

Last year, the Cogeco Fund expanded its mandate to include drama series funding in order to collaborate with the Independent Production Fund to meet the demand for drama series financing.  The Cogeco Fund approved a total of $2,750,000 for the production of 14 drama series and MOW's destined for both private and public broadcasters.

The Cogeco Fund and the Independent Production Fund have always shared the management and administrative services of their programs.  Now the industry is able to benefit from this shared expertise for the financing of series.

I would like to thank in particular, the members of the Board of Directors of the Cogeco Fund as well as the management consultants for their diligence in ensuring the good governance of the Fund.  Their abilities to adapt to change and their commitment to the industry are certainly guarantees of our future success.

Yves Mayrand, President