Bell Canada pays large for naming rights to film festival’s building

Bell Canada is committing more than $30 million for naming rights to Festival Centre, the planned new home for the Toronto International Film Festival.

Bell, a long- time festival sponsor, has agreed to sponsor Festival Centre programs for more than 12 years.

Piers Handling, CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival Group, announced Bell’s involvement last night at the festival’s gala opening at Roy Thomson Hall that preceded the screening of Deepa Metha’s Water.

Handling did not specify a dollar amount but sources say it’s a complicated deal worth more than $30 million. “ We’re all thrilled Bell has decided to support this venture. This brings us to $ 133 million of our $ 196 million target.”

Festival Centre is a five- storey, $ 122 million site designed by Toronto architect Bruce Kuwabara in the the city’s entertainment district, at King and John Sts. Plans are to break ground for the new building by next spring and open it in 2008. Ottawa has matched the Queen’s Park pledge of $25 million towards the project.