Toronto Film Studios

Two California-based companies have been selected by the City of Toronto to develop and operate a new $250 million film, television and digital media hub along Toronto’s waterfront.

The companies are Hackman Capital Partners and The MBS Group who had the winning bid and were awarded the right to develop the Basin Media Hub, an 8.9-acre property on Basin Street in the Port Lands that is owned by the City of Toronto.

Hackman Capital is a United States company based in Los Angeles and claims to be the largest holder of film studios in the world. MBS is a United Kingdom based company that Hackman Capital acquired in 2019. At that time, MBS said they were, “The world's largest studio advisory and production services company, The MBS Group services more than 300 sound stages in North America and the United Kingdom and supports more than 400 productions a year.”

Cinespace, a Canadian company founded in 1988, already had more than a million square feet of filming space in Leslieville and Etobicoke. In 2018, the company took over a couple of old buildings in the Port Lands (Marine Terminal 51 and the Cruise Ship Terminal), inked a deal with Netflix to become the streaming giant’s primary Toronto filming hub, then spent $25 million converting the terminals into extra studio space. By 2023, it’s planning an addition to the Netflix hub, and a brand-new studio in Etobicoke.

The construction of the new Filmport studios was approved by City Council in 2003 and the studios were completed in 2008 located in the south of the city near Cherry Beach. Filmport was in financial difficulty and UK based Pinewood and Shepperton Studios Pinewood came in and purchased the recently built studio.

In 2008 the City of Toronto gave Pinewood Studios (formerly Filmport) a 20% equity stake.

In 2013 Cinespace studio was in a legal battle against the City of Toronto and its investment body TEDCO as it had given an unfair advantage to Pinewood studio through millions in taxpayer-funded subsidies. The City of Toronto was part of a consortium that purchased the studio.

In 2018, Bell Media Studios acquired a majority stake in Pinewood Toronto Studios, in partnership with Comweb Studio Holdings, Castlepoint, and the City of Toronto. Pinewood Toronto Studios is one of the largest purpose-built production studios in Canada. Bell Media also took a minority stake in Montreal's Grande Studios (MTL Grandé, Groupe Dazmo) founded by Gratien Gelinas’ granddaughter.

“The investment that Bell Media is making in Pinewood Toronto Studios and its expansion is significant and is proof of Bell Media’s commitment to our city and of its role as a world-class content creator,” said Toronto Mayor John Tory. “Toronto is home to industry-leading talent in the television and film production industry and as a city we are committed to supporting the growth of that industry at all levels and aspects of that production.”

Toronto Film Studios were acquired in 1997 by the Rose Corporation. The site is located just outside downtown Toronto in the city’s Leslieville neighbourhood. The studio was also a forerunner to Rose’s development of nearby Pinewood Studio. 

Sold in part in 2007 to SmartCentres and then fully in 2012 TFS, now operates under the name of Revival studios. 

Overall there are a total of 60 film studios in Toronto including Bell Media Studios North, 124 The East Mall Studios, 2365 Dixie Road Studio, Wallace Studios, 249 Evans Avenue Studios, Sullivan Studios, 43 Upton Road Studio and the CBC Studios.