‘The Last of Us’ generated $141 million in Alberta spending and 1,490 jobs

The success of HBO's The Last of Us extended beyond its television audience, bringing a major production operation to Alberta and generating millions of dollars in local economic activity. Filmed across towns, cities and some of the province's best-known landscapes, the first season created work for the Canadian cast and crew while bringing business to hotels, construction suppliers and catering companies. An economic assessment by Oxford Economics, released in November 2023, put the production spending at more than $141 million. The filming also supported 1,490 jobs and generated over C$182 million in contributions to Alberta's gross domestic product.How HBO's The Last of Us became Canada's largest television productionThe first season of The Last of Us, adapted from the popular video game franchise, was filmed across several parts of Alberta. Its production brought together locations ranging from urban settings to smaller communities and landscapes that could stand in for a post-apocalyptic version of North America.The scale of the operation made it particularly significant for Canada's television industry. According to figures released by the Motion Picture Association – Canada (MPA Canada) on November 27, 2023, the HBO series was the largest television series ever filmed in the country at that time, measured by its production scale and economic impact.The assessment, prepared by Oxford Economics, examined how money spent during filming moved through…