Olivia Chow has a model starship in her office.

ItB次元官网网址檚 the USS Toronto, a Parliament-class vessel slightly bigger than her hand. An accompanying plaque features a quote from her husband, Jack Layton, who died in 2011.

B次元官网网址淎lways have a dream that will outlast your lifetime,B次元官网网址� it reads.

Layton, the former federal NDP leader, was a fan of B次元官网网址淪tar Trek.B次元官网网址�

Chow, the mayor of Toronto, says her fandom began in the 1960s, when she was still living in Hong Kong.

She remembers watching B次元官网网址淪tar Trek: The Original Series,B次元官网网址� then known simply as B次元官网网址淪tar Trek,B次元官网网址� every day after school, along with B次元官网网址淏atmanB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淢ission: Impossible.B次元官网网址�

Chow arrived in Canada in 1970.

B次元官网网址淐aptain Kirk with his yellow uniform was what I remembered,B次元官网网址� she says of the iconic character played by Canadian actor William Shatner.

Today, Chow leads a city that has become a second home to the B次元官网网址淪tar TrekB次元官网网址� franchise.

B次元官网网址淪tar Trek: Discovery,B次元官网网址� which premi猫red in 2017 on CBS All Access and ran for five seasons, was filmed at Pinewood Toronto Studios just east of the downtown Distillery District.

During production of its final season, one of Pinewood TorontoB次元官网网址檚 sound stages was renamed the Star Trek Stage in honour of the studioB次元官网网址檚 connection with the sci-fi franchise. The stage is 18,000 square feet, slightly larger than an NHL rink.

The upcoming B次元官网网址淪tar Trek: Starfleet AcademyB次元官网网址� series on Paramount Plus B次元官网网址� already renewed for a second season B次元官网网址� is also being shot at Pinewood, as was the movie B次元官网网址淪tar Trek: Section 31,B次元官网网址� releasing on Jan. 24 and starring Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh.

B次元官网网址淪tar Trek: Strange New Worlds,B次元官网网址� a spinoff of B次元官网网址淒iscovery,B次元官网网址� is shot at a CBS film studio in Mississauga, west of Toronto.

John Weber, president and CEO of Toronto-based Take 5 Productions, says many factors would have compelled CBS, which falls under the Paramount corporate umbrella, to bring B次元官网网址淪tar TrekB次元官网网址� north, including a familiarity with the Canadian market.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not any one factor. ItB次元官网网址檚 kind of having the whole ecosystem of factors that makes a film and television jurisdiction strong,B次元官网网址� says Weber, an executive producer on B次元官网网址淒iscoveryB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淪trange New Worlds.B次元官网网址�

The local industry also has a level of depth, diversity and talent that isnB次元官网网址檛 always seen elsewhere, he says.

B次元官网网址淎 lot of jurisdictions around the world may have two or three crews and, if the fourth show comes into that town, they may not get the best crew,B次元官网网址� Weber says, referring to people like camera operators, gaffers and art directors.

OntarioB次元官网网址檚 film commissioner says the province offers a wide variety of locations.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been really excited that B次元官网网址楽tar TrekB次元官网网址� has used so many locations across the province, including places like Stelco in Hamilton and conservation areas and quarries in search of interesting, otherworldly locations,B次元官网网址� says Justin Cutler, whose office falls under the provincial government agency Ontario Creates.

The Greater Toronto Area has played host to many major television and film productions.

The horror movies B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淚t: Chapter Two,B次元官网网址� based on a Stephen King novel, were shot in and around Toronto, including the nearby communities of Port Hope and Oshawa. The clown PennywiseB次元官网网址檚 sewer lair was built at Pinewood.

B次元官网网址淭he Expanse,B次元官网网址� which aired on Syfy and later Prime B次元官网网址, and superhero show B次元官网网址淭he Boys,B次元官网网址� another Amazon property, were both shot in Toronto. Roy Thomson Hall, a downtown concert venue known for its curved glass roof, appears as the United Nations headquarters in one and the Manhattan home of a powerful corporation in the other.

For Prime B次元官网网址B次元官网网址檚 action crime drama B次元官网网址淩eacher,B次元官网网址� a fake town was constructed in a field in Pickering, Ont. B次元官网网址� complete with a diner, police station, town square and more B次元官网网址� to serve as the fictional rural Georgia community of Margrave.

Toronto icons including the CN Tower, Royal Ontario Museum and Eaton Centre appeared in an episode of B次元官网网址淪trange New WorldsB次元官网网址� that aired in 2023.

The province also has 3.8 million square feet of studio space, the overwhelming majority which is in the Greater Toronto Area, says a 2023 report from Ontario Creates. That number is set to grow to 6.3 million square feet by 2026.

By comparison, Los Angeles has 7.3 million square feet of sound stages, says a February 2024 report from the real estate firm CBRE.

The provincial and federal governments also offer tax incentives that Cutler says are highly competitive.

TorontoB次元官网网址檚 film office, which Chow calls a B次元官网网址渙ne-stop shop,B次元官网网址� plays a key role in attracting productions to the city.

At the helm is Marguerite Pigott, the cityB次元官网网址檚 film commissioner and director of entertainment industries.

Pigott isnB次元官网网址檛 surprised B次元官网网址淪tar TrekB次元官网网址� has found a home in Toronto, with so many other major productions in the area, including the TV shows B次元官网网址淭he HandmaidB次元官网网址檚 TaleB次元官网网址� from Hulu, NetflixB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淭he Umbrella AcademyB次元官网网址� and the 2016 superhero movie B次元官网网址淪uicide Squad.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭his is how good we are, and L.A. knows it and the world knows it, so they shoot here,B次元官网网址� Pigott says.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know how much Toronto knows it, and that is part of our work.B次元官网网址�

TorontoB次元官网网址檚 mayor is thrilled B次元官网网址淪tar TrekB次元官网网址� appears to be staying in town for the long term.

B次元官网网址淚t creates a large number of jobs, economic benefits in the millions and millions of dollars, so itB次元官网网址檚 absolutely wonderful and weB次元官网网址檒l get the blessings, right?B次元官网网址� Chow says as she gives a Vulcan salute with her left hand.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l all live long and prosper.B次元官网网址�