‘The local audiovisual sector is in crisis.’ MELS to close Montreal film production lab

MELS studio in Montreal.

The Montreal film production lab at MELS will close its doors.

MELS president Patrick Jutras said the company has decided to prioritize its “most profitable and growth-oriented services and concentrate them at fewer sites.”

" The absence of competitive tax incentives to attract a steady stream of foreign productions to Montreal, combined with the decline in local audiovisual investment, has forced MELS to cut its expenses to continue meeting its clients’ needs," said Jutras.

Thus, the post-production work at 2600 William Tremblay Street will move to 1500 Papineau Avenue and 910 de la Gauchetière Street East in the coming months.

“This was not an easy choice as it brings an end to MELS’s photochemical lab and screening room,” said Jutras. “We recognize the strong emotional attachment many professionals have to these spaces, especially the film lab, which is unique in Canada. Yet the sharply rising costs and the investments required to modernize the equipment make these sites difficult to sustain.”

In Finance Minister Eric Girard’s 2026-2027 budget, certain measures were introduced meant to support Quebec’s audiovisual industry. The Director’s Guild of Quebec, however, had concerns “regarding the lack of concrete measures to maintain Quebec’s competitiveness on the international stage.”

Quebec said it would invest $268.2 million over five years for local content, but the director’s guild said the budget paid little attention to the working group report on the future of audiovisual media in Quebec (GTAAQ).

“Organizations had really put their hearts in this process, yet the results are meager at best,” the guild said.

Jutras said the audiovisual industry “is constantly evolving, and MELS must stay competitive.”

Closing the William Tremblay location is the latest move that comes after shuttering locations on Rachel Street, St-Paul Street and Le Breton Street in Longueuil.

“These outcomes stem largely from the limited appeal of Quebec’s tax measures for foreign producers, a persistent obstacle to attracting major international productions,” said Jutras. “The local audiovisual sector is in crisis, and we urge the government to act swiftly so that Quebec’s hard-won expertise does not erode further.”