Apply for development funds for your professional film, television or digital media project

Eligible production companies

To be eligible, your production company must:

• be incorporated in the Yukon;
• be registered to conduct business in the Yukon;
• be in good standing with Government of Yukon Corporate Affairs
• be majority owned by Yukon residents;
• have a Yukon business address;
• be a production company primarily in the business of developing and producing professional media content;
• be a for-profit company under Canada’s Income Tax Act;
• have the rights to produce and exploit the project;
• maintain a financial stake in the project;
• have a Yukon resident as the producer, including responsibility and control over:
  • the project’s development;
  • the creative, artistic, technical and financial aspects of the project;
  • the selection, hiring and firing of the key artists and creative personnel involved in the project;
  • all expenditures and budget overages related to the project;
  • the project bank accounts; and
  • the negotiation of initial agreements.

Ineligible companies

Your production company must not be:

• in the business of broadcasting or distributing content.
• related to someone in the business of broadcasting or distributing content; and
• in default with Government of Yukon.

Co-productions

A Yukon production company in co-production with a non-Yukon production company can apply for the Development Fund.

If the Yukon production company owns less than 51 per cent of the project, the maximum funding amount is reduced proportionately.

A Yukon production company must have a share of ownership and producer functions that is at least equal to the share of funding provided by the Government of Yukon.

The project must be a professional film, television program or digital media project with an economic benefit to the Yukon.

What projects are not eligible?

The program does not provide funding for:

• interactive content not eligible for licensing;
• user-generated, non-professional videos by amateurs without formal training or experience;
• news;
• current events;
• public affairs programming;
• weather reports;
• market reports;
• sports events or activities;
• gala presentation or an awards show;
• a production that solicits funds;
• pornography;
• advertising, including commercials and infomercials;
• a production produced primarily for industrial, corporate or institutional purposes;
• a production mainly consisting of stock footage, other than a documentary; and
• the production of a game, questionnaire or contest, other than a production directed at minors.

The costs eligible for funding are:

• predevelopment costs not funded under the Predevelopment Fund;
• research directly related to the project;
• option fees or acquisition of rights fees;
• scriptwriting;
• script workshops;
• developing a production budget and financing;
• marketplace research to determine potential audience;
• focus groups;
• short non-broadcast demos and a pilot episode;
• producer fees and corporate overhead;
• arm’s-length legal costs; and
• third-party preparation of the production budget breakdown.

Eligible preproduction costs for returning series also include:

• cast retention.
• set retention.
• travel costs related to getting international pre-sales. and
• showrunner fees.

Costs you incur more than 12 months before the funding agreement are not eligible, with limited exceptions.

Before you apply

• Review the program policy.
• Read the business guidelines.
• Contact Media Development to discuss your application.

Letters of commitment

In addition to funding, you can apply for letters of commitment known as "comfort letters”. You must show that at least 30 per cent of your funding is in place, not including the amount you requested from the Development Fund. A letter of commitment expires 4 months from the date we issue it.

Application intake

We are accepting applications to the Development Fund for the 2023–24 fiscal year. The program is closed for the year once we've distributed all the available funds.

You can only receive funding from the Development Fund once per project.

Applications for the 2024–25 fiscal year will open on April 2, 2024

What you need to apply

You must submit the following documents with your application.

Project details: 

• a completed and signed application form;
• a summary of the project;
• any existing creative materials;
• a description of activities and deliverables you will be completing during the development stage;
• a letter of commitment, licence agreement or deal memo from a broadcaster, distributor or online platform; and
• other documents requested by Media Development.

Project budget:

• your development budget identifying the proposed Yukon spend;
• your financing plan for development, including letters of commitment for 100 per cent of the development budget, including Media Development’s funding contribution, detailing:
  • the terms;
  • conditions; and
  • value of the contributions from financial sources.

You can find downloadable templates for development and production budgets and cost reports at Canada Media Fund.

Company and crew details:

• a description of the production company, including:
  • the structure and ownership;
  • the names and addresses of shareholders; and
  • incorporation documents;
• an overview of all the personnel involved in the project, including the positions that will be filled by Yukon residents;
• a residency declaration for each Yukon resident.

Supporting documents: 

• Co-production agreement verification
• Yukon residency declaration form for each Yukon resident

How to apply to the Yukon Development Fund

1. Download and complete the application form.
2. Submit the application form and all required documentation.
   In person: 303 Alexander Street, 2nd floor, in Whitehorse
   Our office is open Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
   Email: reel.yukon@yukon.ca (only if your files are under 10 MB in total)
   Mail:
   Government of Yukon
   Media Development (F-1)
   Box 2703
   Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6

After you receive funding

Your Media Development advisor will tell you which templates to use and submit for final reporting.

• Affidavit for final costs
• Expenditure report

If required, we'll send you templates for the:

• Cash flow report
• Final cost report

Credit the Government of Yukon

You are required to credit the Government of Yukon on:

• all versions and copies of your project; and
• all promotional materials related to your project.

Provide this credit by stating, "Produced with the participation of" and include the Government of Yukon logo. Follow the logo guidance starting on page 9 of our brand standards.

Review the business guidelines and your transfer payment agreement for guidelines specific to your project.