Toronto Gets a big Boost Thanks to Suicide Squad

The supervillains of Warner Bros.’ Suicide Squad may look like they’re setting the world on fire in the explosive blockbuster, but the antiheroes made a major real life impact on the City of Toronto. While in the story they're responsible for all sorts of dastardly deeds (Harley Quinn's rap sheet alone is astonishing), the film, shot primarily in Canada, contributed over $80 million to Ontario’s economy and created 4,707 jobs in the 266 days on location.

Thousands of local businesses were called upon to help bring the Batman rivals to the big screen. An exclusive MPA-Canada clip highlights some of the small businesses that supported the production (check it out below). Local metal workers built onscreen elevators and helicopters (if you've seen the film, you know there's a lot of both in the story) while caterers and bakers provided nearly $2 million in meals to the cast and crew. The summer hit also spent over $12.5 million on rentals, $4.2 million on lumber and construction supplies, $2.6 million on location fees and more than $785,000 on dry cleaning services.

Stars of the DC Comic flick, Will Smith (Deadshot) and Margot Robbie (Harley Quinn), showed their appreciation to the city alongside director David Ayer with an immersive fan experience ahead of the theatrical release. Mayor John Tory got in on the action when he presented the cast with a proclamation from the city.

Toronto is certainly no stranger to the movie industry. The city has attracted multiple major motion pictures in the past like Total Recall, Pixels, and Pacific Rim. Last year, however, was the Ontario film industry’s most lucrative year yet.

Suicide Squad is in theaters now.  

Behind the Scenes with Ontario Businesses in the Making of Suicide Squad from MPA-Canada on Vimeo.