GATINEAU, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Sept. 25, 2014) - Department of Canadian Heritage

The headquarters of the National Film Board (NFB) of Canada will be housed in a brand new building to be constructed in Montréal's Quartier des spectacles by the fall of 2017.

Modern facilities designed for innovative production will enable the NFB to broaden its technological capacity and help make the space a centre for innovation and excellence in new forms of audiovisual art. The opening of new headquarters, to be constructed by the Société d'habitation et de développement de Montréal (SHDM), will highlight Canada's vision and creativity during Canada's 150^th anniversary celebrations in 2017.

Its prominent location near the Place des Festivals, one of the busiest sites in Montréal and in the heart of its cultural district, will allow the public, artists, students and educators of all ages and backgrounds to meet and explore cutting-edge developments in the audiovisual field. The government's choice of this location underscores the importance Montréal plays in Canada's cultural landscape and will help the NFB do even more to showcase the best of Canadian talent.

Quick Facts

• Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) has been granted the authority to enter into a lease agreement with the SHDMto house the NFB's headquarters in a newly fitted up building, owned by the SHDM, in the Quartier des spectacles. A lease with the SHDM is the best option, at a cost not exceeding what is currently being paid, to garner better value and service to Canadian taxpayers.
  
  
• The Government of Canada has invested $40 million in the Quartier des spectacles through the Building Canada Infrastructure Plan. The NFB will be the first federal presence in Montréal's dedicated arts district.
  
  
• PWGSC owns the building at 3155 Côte de Liesse Road in Montréal that has housed NFB headquarters since 1956. The building was designed in the early 1950s when filmmaking required large space for shooting, film development and the storage of hazardous materials, so it made sense to build on the outskirts of the city.
  
  
• The NFB is an award-winning organization that is renowned around the world for its high-quality films. It is increasingly recognized as a digital media pioneer that delivers content to Canadians in engaging and interactive ways.
  
  
• The NFB is a federal cultural agency within the Canadian Heritage Portfolio. Initially known as the National Film Commission, it was created by an act of Parliament in 1939. Its mandate, as set forth in the National Film Act (1950), is "to produce and distribute and to promote the production and distribution of films designed to interpret Canada to Canadians and to other nations."

Quotes

"Our goal is to move the NFB headquarters to a new hub geared to creating the works of the future and delivering world-class content to Canadians. Its prominent location in the Quartier des spectacles, one of the busiest sites in Montréal, will allow for a much deeper level of public engagement and strengthen the NFB's ties with Canadians. Its new location will showcase the best of Canadian creativity and will bring the NFB's work closer to the street."

—The Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages

"Montréal is the perfect home for the NFB's activities. As a hub for culture and our two official languages, Montréal is a magnet for the creative sector, particularly when it comes to digital creation. The NFB needs to be at the very heart of this dynamic city."

—The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec

"Relocating the NFB downtown is a commitment to the NFB and its future! This project represents more than just a simple move; these new premises reflect our willingness to create a global centre for innovation and excellence in new audiovisual forms. As a source of pride from people in Montréal, Quebec, and all of Canada, it will be a nerve centre in constant evolution with the NFB's other studios across the country and a place where creators and the public will be able to interact and work together."

—Claude Joli-Coeur, Acting Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson, National Film Board of Canada

Associated Links

Public Works and Government Services Canada

The National Film Board of Canada

Société d'habitation et de développement de Montréal

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