CASO ACCOMPLISHMENTS
CASO is a non-partisan, not-for-profit industry association committed to the growth and
international competitiveness of Ontario's animation and visual effects industry, through
advocacy, professional development, and marketing initiatives.
2025-2026 Fiscal accomplishments
Mission Commitment: Advocacy
-State of the Industry Survey April 2025
-Membership Meeting May 14, 2025, evolved to CASO Incentives Subcommittee
-Multiple Key Stakeholder Meetings with individuals from…
- Minister of Tourism, Culture & Gaming, Film Ontario, Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Minister of Finance, Ministry of Red Tape Reduction, Ontario Creates, and a Parliamentary Assistant for Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development and Minister of Tourism, Culture & Gaming
-Introduced Solutions to Sustain and Grow Ontario’s Animation & VFX Industry
- Accelerate the payment of OCASE Tax Credit for Immediate Impact (50% Advance = $30 million)
- Provided suggestions for consideration to Ontario Creates to shorten the processing time of OCASE (established working group)
- Merit-Based Advance Payment Program (based on successful OCASE filings)
- Hosted January 8th Membership Town Hall to debate how best to modernize the OCASE tax credit. A vote determined CASO’s priority to amend OCASE to be “producer claimable.”
- Delivered the 2026 Ontario Pre-Budget Submission endorsed by Film Ontario, including the requests for Merit-Based Advance and the modernization of the OCASE tax credit, starting by making it “producer claimable.”
- Delivered a federal policy framework to expand Canada’s Animation and Visual Effects Global Leadership, recommending investment in business transition, Canadian IP and technologies, plus administrative streamlining.
Mission Commitment: Professional Development
-Summer 2025 Production Management Workshop series with The Creative School at TMU
- 16 individuals awarded CASO Certification at the series conclusion (Summer 2025)
-Investigating the potential of a VFX Supervisor Micro Credential
-Refocused effort on Minimum Skills Document for College Curriculum, delivering to Colleges Canada and PEQAB in addition to the Ministry.
Mission Commitment: Marketing Initiatives
-TAAFI Industry Conference participation April 11/12, 2025
-Pinewood Futures Festival May 1, 2025
-Panel - The Animation Conference at OIAF, Sept 24, 2025 – Canadian Animation Seizing Opportunity
- Collaborated to host CASO I VES I TAAFI Animation and VFX Town Hall, March 12th, 2026
2024-2025 Fiscal accomplishments
Mission Commitment: Advocacy
-2025 Pre-Budget Submission endorsed by Film Ontario and CMPA
1. Accelerate payment of the Ontario Computer Animation and Special Effects (OCASE) tax credit.
2. Reform the Ontario Creates administration process to expedite project certification.
3. Increase the OCASE Tax Credit value to 23% to remain competitive.
-Contributed to CRTC Consultation on Canadian Content Redefinition in concert with CMPA
ACHIEVED UNTETHERING IN ONTARIO 2024 BUDGET March 26, 2024. Royal Assent received May 16, 2024
Mission Commitment: Professional Development
-Launched Production Management Workshop series with The Creative School at TMU
- 28 individuals awarded CASO Certification at the series conclusion (Summer 2024 and Fall 2024)
Mission Commitment: Marketing Initiatives
-Launched the CASO Job Portal to better connect Ontario studios to talent (June 2024)
-State of the Industry Town Hall in collaboration with Visual Effects Society & TAAFI (Feb. 2025)