Tory off to Tinseltown to promote Toronto film industry

Mayor John Tory is taking off for Tinseltown on Tuesday to promote Toronto’s film industry.

Like Rob Ford and other mayors before him, Tory will be in Hollywood around Oscar season to meet with film and studio executives. He’s hoping to lure them here for business.

“Toronto’s film and television sector is a growing source of jobs and economic growth,” Tory said in a statement.

“I will be promoting our city to studios and entertainment industry representatives in Los Angeles as part of our efforts to attract more of these productions to Toronto.”

The city’s film, television and digital media industry is worth $1 billion, and employs 25,000 people.

During Tory’s trip (it ends Friday), he will meet with 11 prominent studio executives, including the heads of Sony and Paramount. He will also meet with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.

Before Tory left town, the trip had already garnered praise from studio heads in Toronto. Blake Steeles, the president of Pinewood Toronto Studios, said the mission was important to make Los Angeles filmmakers aware of the city.

“Pinewood Toronto Studios congratulates Mayor John Tory’s initiative in leading this important mission to visit our film and television clients in Los Angeles,” Steeles said in a statement.

“Pinewood hosted the biggest feature film ever shot in Toronto last year because Toronto (Ontario) has stable tax credits, highly-trained crews, and world-class, purpose-built studios.”

The meetings are “critical,” Jim Mirkopolous, vice-president of Cinespace Film Studios, said.

“Tory’s meetings in L.A. are critical in conveying the highest-level appreciation for their patronage, the desire to accommodate even more production, and the reality that Toronto is a world-class city that any director, producer or creative individual would be thrilled to live in for the duration of their film or TV project,” Mirkopolous added.