Canada’s new co-production treaty with India officially came into effect on July 1.

The agreement marks the 54th country with whom Canada has struck an audiovisual co-production alliance.

The treaty signing is the first since the passage of  Canada’s Policy On Audiovisual Treaty Coproduction, designed to position the country as a co-production partner of choice by, among other things, streamlining the administrative procedures.

Telefilm Canada, which administers such agreements on behalf of the Canadian government, applauded the treaty with India and said Canada has produced 681 coproduction projects with production budgets totalling close to $4.7bn USD ($5bn CAD) over the past decade. 

It also said that over the period 2012–13, Canada’s audiovisual sector generated $5.47bn USD ($5.82bn CAD) to the Canadian economy and supported approximately 127,700 jobs.