Film Weekly 1956-57 year book : Canadian motion picture industry (1956)

ONTARIO Imposed under The Theatres Act, 1953 (a) In municipalities having a population un¬ der 1,500 according to the last revised-assess¬ ment roll, 10c for each seat or chair. (b) In municipalities having a population of 1,500 or over but under 3,000 according to the last revised-assessment roll, 15c for each seat or chair. (c) In municipalities having a population of 3,000 or over but under 10,000 according to the last revised-assessment roll, 20c for each seat or chair. (d) In municipalities having a population of 10,000 or over according to the last revisedassessment roll, 25c for each seat or chair. A fee of $5 is charged for the transfer of a theatre licence. For licences for theatres other than drive-ins issued after July first but before October first the fee shall be four-fifths of that for the year; for those issued on or after October first but before January first the fee shall be one-half of that for the year; and for those issued on or after January first but before March 31st the fee shall be one-quarter that of the year. DRIVE-IN THEATRES Drive-ins are licenced according to the number of vehicles they can accommodate, the rate be¬ ing 371/2 per car. QUEBEC Imposed Under The Quebec Licences Act Cities: Quebec, Montreal, Outremont, Verdun and Westmount, per seat . 50c In all other cities, per seat . 30c Elsewhere, per seat . . . 20c A $5 fee is payable with every licence. NEW BRUNSWICK Imposed Under The Theatres, Cinematographs and Amusements Act (13) Every owner, lessee, or occupant of a theatre, and every owner, user or exhibitor, of every cinematograph, shall pay the following fees: (a) In all villages and towns with a population not exceeding 1,500 per seat . 5c (b) In all towns over 1,500 population and up to 3,000, per seat . 10c (c) In all towns over 3,000 population and up to 7,500, per seat . 15C (d) In all towns or cities over 7,500 population, per seat . 20c (e) In all villages, towns or cities where not more than three performances are given in any week, one-half the fee as set in sections (a) to (d) in¬ clusive shall apply. (f) For so-called drive-in theatres the licence fee is to be 25 cents per car or amplifier, in addition to licence for cinematograph. NOVA SCOTIA Imposed Under The Theatres, Ciinematographs and Amusements Act 3. (1) No theatre owner shall give any per¬ formance in his theatre unless he holds in respect of the theatre a licence which is in force. (2) The fee payable for any theatre licence shall be as follows: In municipalities having a population not exceeding 1,500 . I0tf exceeding 1,500 but not exceeding 3,000 . . 15<r exceeding 3,000 but not exceeding 10,000 . 20« exceeding 10,000 . 25c for each seat or chair in the theatre. (3) In any theatre where benches are used instead of seats or chairs, every twenty-four inches of the bench shall bo deemed to be a seat or chair. (4) In any theatre where not more than three performances are given weekly one-half the fee mentioned in subsection (2) shall be payable. DRIVE-IN THEATRES The fee payable for a Drive-In Theatre licence shall be 50c for each vehicle space provided in the theatre and the provisions of Section 3 of these regulations shall not apply to a Drive-In Theatre. Subsection (5) of Section 3 of the said Regu¬ lations is repealed and the following substi¬ tuted therefor: — (5) For licences issued on or after the first day of July and before the first day of October in any year the fee shall be three-quarters of the yearly licence fee and for licences issued on or after the first day of October and before the first day of January the fee shall be one-half the yearly licence fee and for licences issued on or after the first day of January the fee shall be one-quarter of the yearly licence fee. PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND Imposed Under The Amusement Tax Act The annual fee is $2 with the exception of chain theatres for which the licence fee is $200 for each theatre. This regulation also applies to drive-in theatres. SEATING DESPITE the drop in admissions and receipts, Canada’s movie accommo¬ dation keeps increasing. According to the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, the 1,936 “Regular” theatres had a seating capacity of 984,907 compared with 1,906 houses classed similarly in 1953, which had a capacity of 978,162. So that in 1954 there was a gain of 38 houses and 6,745 seats. “Regular Theatres” are those not classed as “Drive-in Thea¬ tres,” “Community Enterprises” and “Halls Serviced by Itinerant Operators.” There may be a few 16 mm. situations among the “Regular Theatres” but almost all were built exclusively for 35 mm. exhi¬ bition. Information that bears on the gains: The DBS gave as 96 the number of new theatres opened in 1954, 13 as the number reopened and 77 as the number closed, the net gain being 32. It should be noted that in 1954 the 1,936 “Regular” situations grossed $97012,140, a decline of $3,877,221 for 218,503,653 admissions — 22,679,073 fewer 45