Filming of HBO series The Last of Us, the largest-ever production in Canada, underway in Calgary

CALGARY —
Filming of the HBO television series The Last of Us — the largest-ever production in Canada — has begun in the Calgary area, which is one of 50 productions attracted here by the Film and Television Tax Credit, Premier Jason Kenney said Tuesday.

Those productions have resulted in $955 million in spending and created 9,000 jobs, the premier added since the tax credit program was started in 2020, Kenney added.

“This is a true Alberta success story, a billion-dollar industry springing up around us right in front of our eyes,” he said.

“These productions are filling hotel rooms all over Alberta with workers who are patronizing restaurants and other services, they’re hiring carpenters and caterers, they’re creating jobs for lighting and tech crews, they’re driving both economic diversification and growth at a time when we deparately need it.

“Thanks to productions like HBO’s, our province has taken its place among major hubs like Vancouver and Toronto. We’re seeing a highly-talented workforce emerging to provide services to film series and movies.”

The Last of Us is based on the popular video game of the same name, which Kenney called “the single largest television production in Canadian history.”

And it’s not the only big-name production in the area. The trailer for the newest Ghostbusters film was released last week, which was filmed in southern Alberta, and in June, work began on MGM’s new series, Billy The Kid.