Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada Permit Access Fund

ACTRA Toronto is proud to partner with Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada to launch the Permit Access Fund. This Fund is intended to help reduce barriers and create a pathway for performers from historically underrepresented communities (Black, Indigenous, Persons of Colour, 2SLGBTQIA+ and Persons with Disabilities/Disabled Persons) to work towards gaining access and full membership into the union. Producers and performers can apply to the Fund to cover 50 per cent of a Principal Performer or Actor’s work permit fee for qualifying productions* under ACTRA Toronto’s jurisdiction.

*Productions under the following agreements qualify: Audio Code, Web Independent Production (WIP) Guideline, Low Budget Guideline (LBG), and Independent Production Agreement (IPA), including the Canadian Independent Production Incentive Program (CIPIP).

How It Works

Low Budget and Audio Code Productions

The bursary from Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada will cover 50 per cent of a Principal Performer or Actor’s (Support Performer if under Audio Code) work permit fee for low-budget productions under ACTRA Toronto’s Low Budget Guideline* (LBG) or Audio Code.
Eligible productions engaging a qualifying non-union performer as a Principal Performer or Actor under the LBG, or as a Principal Performer or Support Performer under the Audio Code, may apply to the Fund by connecting with their ACTRA Business Representative. ACTRA Toronto Apprentices and ACTRA Additional Background Performers (AABP) engaged in qualifying productions can apply to the PAF directly by contacting the production’s ACTRA Business Representative.
Available to Performers who self-identify with one or more of the following communities: Black, Indigenous, Persons of Colour, 2SLGBTQIA+ and/or Persons with Disabilities/Disabled Persons.

*The LBG is available to first-time and emerging producers working with emerging and diverse performers to create productions for theatrical or festival use.

All Other Productions

The $25,000 bursary from Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada will cover 50 per cent of a Principal Performer or Actor’s work permit fee for qualifying productions under ACTRA Toronto’s jurisdiction.
ACTRA Toronto Apprentices and ACTRA Additional Background Performers (AABP) engaged in these ACTRA Toronto productions can apply to the PAF directly by connecting with the production’s ACTRA Business Representative. You can find the Representative for each production here.
Available to Performers who self-identify with one or more of the following communities: Black, Indigenous, Persons of Colour, 2SLGBTQIA+ and/or Persons with Disabilities/Disabled Persons.

Eligibility Criteria

The production must fall under ACTRA Toronto’s jurisdiction;
The production must complete the signatory ACTRA Toronto paperwork to qualify for the Fund;*
Only productions under the Audio Code, Web Independent Production (WIP) Guideline, Low Budget Guideline (LBG), and Independent Production Agreement (IPA), including the Canadian Independent Production Incentive Program (CIPIP) will be considered;
Performer must reside in ACTRA Toronto’s jurisdiction;
Performer must be an ACTRA Toronto Apprentice, ACTRA Additional Background Performer (AABP),⁺ or non-union performer;
Performer must be eligible to become an ACTRA Apprentice or is already an Apprentice;⁺
The role being cast must fall under the Principal Performer or Actor category (or Support Performer category if under the Audio Code);⁺
Performer must self-identify with one or more of the following communities: Black, Indigenous, Persons of Colour, 2SLGBTQIA+ and/or Persons with Disabilities/Disabled Persons. If the performer has not already voluntarily self-identified themselves to the production, we ask that producers please respect the performer’s privacy by not asking specifics about how the performer identifies within these communities.

*If this is a barrier, producers are encouraged to contact ACTRA Toronto at [email protected] to discuss.
⁺For more information on these terms, please see our Glossary.

Application Process

Permits for ACTRA Toronto Apprentices and AABP

After being cast in a qualifying production, performers can complete the PAF Performer Form where performers can self-identify confidentially.
After the PAF Performer Form has been reviewed, and we confirm the production has submitted its qualifying LBG signatory paperwork, ACTRA Toronto Apprentices/AABP can expect to hear from us in five (5) business days.

Permits for non-union performers

After completing the signatory ACTRA Toronto paperwork, eligible productions may then apply to the PAF through their ACTRA Toronto Business Representative.
Once eligibility is confirmed, ACTRA Toronto will provide producers with a link to a form to share with performers where they can self-identify confidentially.

Frequently Asked Questions

Performers

How do I apply to the Permit Access Fund?

Permits for ACTRA Toronto Apprentices and AABP: Since members pay their permit fees, you can apply directly to the Fund by completing this PAF Performer Form. Once a decision is made, the performer will be notified.

Permits for non-union performers: please refer to this heading under the Producer section of the FAQ.

When will I be notified about the decision of my application?

Permits for ACTRA Toronto Apprentices and AABP: After ACTRA Toronto confirms we have received the required signatory paperwork from the Production, the performer should be notified if their application has been successful within five (5) business days.

Permits for non-union performers: After ACTRA Toronto receives the required signatory paperwork as well as the completed Permit Access Fund Performer Form, the producer should be notified if their application has been successful within five (5) business days.

Why do I need to self-identify in the performer application form?

This initiative is intended to support performers who identify as belonging to the Black, Indigenous, Persons of Colour, 2SLGBTQIA+ and/or Persons with Disabilities/Disabled Person communities.

ACTRA Toronto relies on the performer to self-identify and indicate the communities to which they belong.

The Performer Form allows for the performer to self-identify within these communities in a confidential manner.

ACTRA Toronto is committed to maintaining your confidentiality, and the details of how you self-identify will not be shared with the producer/production.

Why should I join ACTRA?

ACTRA is a national union of professional performers standing together to negotiate fair pay, decent working conditions and respectful treatment in the workplace. We welcome new members and look forward to working with you as you develop your career as a performer. To learn more about the process of joining ACTRA and the many benefits, click here.

What happens after my first qualifying work permit?

After your first work permit, you now qualify to join ACTRA as an Apprentice! ACTRA’s Apprentice Program allows performers who are new to ACTRA to work on ACTRA sets and earn credits toward Full membership. To learn more, click here.

What happens after my third qualifying work permit?

After your third qualifying work permit is processed, ACTRA Toronto's Membership Department will reach out to provide you with all the information you need to become a Full Member! Apprentice Members may deduct from their Full Membership fee the cost of any qualifying Apprentice Member credits used toward earning their Full Membership and their initial Apprentice Membership fee.

When a third qualifying work permit is issued through the Permit Access Fund, performers are automatically given extra time to join the union and qualify for installments on their Full membership fee. This option is open to all performers in need, not just those who are part of the Permit Access Fund. If you would like more information about this option, regardless of your Permit Access Fund involvement, please contact our Membership Department.

Producers

How do I apply to the Permit Access Fund?

Permits for non-union performers: Producers are responsible for paying permit fees for non-union performers under the Low Budget Guideline and Audio Code. As such, it is the producer who starts the application process. After completing the signatory ACTRA Toronto paperwork, producers can talk to their ACTRA Business Representative about accessing the PAF. Once eligibility is confirmed, producers will receive a link to a PAF Performer Form to pass along to the performer so they can self-identify in a confidential manner. Applications for the Permit Access Fund are not considered complete until all signatory paperwork and the PAF Performer Form are received. Once a decision is made, the production will be notified.

Permits for ACTRA Toronto Apprentices and AABP: please refer to this heading under the Performer section of the FAQ.

How many times can I apply to the Permit Access Fund?

Producers can submit up to two (2) permit requests for non-union performers per production and up to ten (10) permit requests in total across different productions within a period of twelve (12) months or until the Fund has been fully disbursed. Please note, one application must be submitted per permit request.

If this is a barrier, please contact your ACTRA Toronto Business Representative to discuss.

When will I be notified of the decision of my application?

After ACTRA Toronto receives the required signatory paperwork as well as both completed PAF Producer and PAF Performer Forms, productions should be notified if their application has been successful within five (5) business days.

Is there a deadline to submit an application to the Permit Access Fund?

The Fund will initially be launched on a first come, first served basis. As we gauge the needs of productions, this may change. If that is the case, it will be communicated on this page. We encourage you to keep an eye on this page and sign-up for alerts.

Contact

Have a question not answered here? Please contact [email protected] for assistance.