Editing Cold Squad (section)

==Development and production==
''Cold Squad'' was originally conceived in 1995 as a one-hour series for the [[Lifetime (TV network)|Lifetime]] channel in the United States.<ref name=morgan1995>{{cite web|last1=Morgan|first1=Joanne|title=B.C. Scene: Doing the circuit: from East to West, it's fest fest fest|url=http://playbackonline.ca/1995/09/25/4717-19950925/|website=[[Playback (magazine)|Playback]]|publisher=Brunico Communications|date=September 25, 1995|access-date=October 25, 2016|archive-date=October 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025111753/http://playbackonline.ca/1995/09/25/4717-19950925/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[CTVglobemedia#Baton Broadcasting|Baton Broadcasting]] became involved in its development in November 1995. Lifetime, however, backed out in mid-1996 and in 1997 the producers partnered with [[Alliance Atlantis]].<ref name=hottestcandidate>{{cite web|last1=Edwards|first1=Ian|title=B.C. Scene: Cold Squad hottest candidate for Baton's Vancouver series|url=http://playbackonline.ca/1997/02/24/5915-19970224/|website=[[Playback (magazine)|Playback]]|publisher=Brunico Communications|date=February 24, 1997|access-date=October 25, 2016|archive-date=October 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025112356/http://playbackonline.ca/1997/02/24/5915-19970224/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=gatekeepers>{{cite web|last1=Staff|title=The Gatekeepers: Canada's Original Drama Heads: Playback asksŠ|url=http://playbackonline.ca/1997/07/14/16280-19970714/|website=[[Playback (magazine)|Playback]]|publisher=Brunico Communications|date=July 14, 1997|access-date=October 25, 2016|archive-date=June 9, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609145833/http://playbackonline.ca/1997/07/14/16280-19970714/|url-status=live}}</ref>

At the time ''Cold Squad'' was developed, the production of television series in Vancouver was heavily dominated by programs made for the United States. When ''Cold Squad'' was [[Green-light|greenlit]] it became the first one-hour, prime time dramatic series for Canadian television to be produced out of Vancouver.<ref name=homegrownr>{{cite web|last1=Edwards|first1=Ian|title=Special Report on Production in British Columbia: Homegrown prime drama hits B.C.|url=http://playbackonline.ca/1997/03/10/5954-19970310/|website=[[Playback (magazine)|Playback]]|publisher=Brunico Communications|date=March 10, 1997|access-date=October 25, 2016|archive-date=October 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025112102/http://playbackonline.ca/1997/03/10/5954-19970310/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=onset />

After Baton committed to local production of the series, the producers reached an agreement with Canadian labor union ACFC West (Association of Canadian Film Craftspeople) to cut the cost of labor on 13 episodes by $225,000 ([[Canadian dollar|CAD]]). With this concession, the overall budget to produce the first season became approximately $12.5 million (CAD).<ref name=ACFC>{{cite web|last1=Edwards|first1=Ian|title=Cold Squad, ACFC cut deal|url=http://playbackonline.ca/1997/05/19/16128-19970519/|website=[[Playback (magazine)|Playback]]|publisher=Brunico Communications|date=May 19, 1997|access-date=October 25, 2016|archive-date=October 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025112606/http://playbackonline.ca/1997/05/19/16128-19970519/|url-status=live}}</ref>

An unexpected cash crunch by [[Telefilm Canada]]'s [[Canadian Television Fund|Equity Investment Program]] affected the [[State-owned enterprise|corporation]]'s funding for the series and the original order for 13 episodes was reduced to 11 episodes. Funding was adjusted and both Baton and Alliance Atlantis committed to an increased financial investment in the production of ''Cold Squad'', with the budget per episode at $900,000-plus (CAD). Baton thereafter reoriented its involvement to that of being the series' Canadian broadcaster only.<ref name=Baton>{{cite web|last1=Edwards|first1=Ian|title=B.C. Scene: Cold Squad series heats up as Baton's money starts to work|url=http://playbackonline.ca/1997/06/30/16219-19970630/|website=[[Playback (magazine)|Playback]]|publisher=Brunico Communications|date=June 30, 1997|access-date=October 25, 2016|archive-date=October 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025112105/http://playbackonline.ca/1997/06/30/16219-19970630/|url-status=live}}</ref> Keatley MacLeod Productions retained 75% copyright ownership and the rights to U.S. distribution, and Alliance Atlantis retained 25% ownership with distribution rights in other international territories.<ref name=gatekeepers /> (Baton Broadcasting, which had full control of the CTV network, was reorganized and renamed CTV Inc. in December 1998. In March 2000, CTV Inc. was acquired by [[Bell Canada|Bell Canada Enterprises]].)<ref>{{cite web|last1=Anthony|first1=Ian|title=The roots of Canadian Television|url=http://www.broadcastermagazine.com/features/the-roots-of-canadian-television/|work=Broadcaster Magazine|date=October 1, 2002|access-date=March 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170319130811/http://www.broadcastermagazine.com/features/the-roots-of-canadian-television/|archive-date=March 19, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Originally scheduled to start on June 16, 1997,<ref name=ACFC /> filming on ''Cold Squad'' began on July 2, 1997,<ref name=onset /> and the new series' scheduled premiere was changed from September 1997 to January 1998.<ref name=Baton /><ref name=gatekeepers />