File photo (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

NEW US TARIFFS

TNRD Film Commissioner expecting brief pause with US productions as tariff threat looms over the industry

May 5, 2025 | 5:04 PM

KAMLOOPS — The U.S. president is again mulling massive tariffs that could have an impact not only on Canada, but the Thompson-Nicola region directly.

In a late night tweet, President Donald Trump says he will enact 100 per cent tariffs on foreign film and TV productions, calling it a national security threat. Calling things ‘national security threats’ is common in the Trump playbook, allowing him to circumvent congressional oversight. It’s the same justification being used for sweeping tariffs around the globe.

British Columbia forecasted $4 billion in film industry revenue for 2025 with productions occurring across the province, including around Kamloops.

“We have really strong relationships with our American producers, so the conversations will be ongoing, but yes, there will probably be a small pause for productions that have not yet happened,” said TNRD Film Commissioner Terri Hadwin. “I don’t believe there will be any pause on anything that is already in motion, but it might be a pause for a very brief amount of time before we see what gets flushed out.”

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It’s not currently clear if the latest musing of President Trump will become official U.S. policy and how, exactly, they would enact a tariff on something the size of a movie production that may have shoots in multiple locations and countries.

After the COVID-19 pandemic and the writers strike limited productions over the past few years, potential tariffs are just another hurdle for the industry to overcome.

“There is no reason to panic, or to run for the hills or anything like that. I think we really need to see what will happen — if anything will happen — before anything definitive is made,” said Hadwin.