This new documentary explores N.L.'s booming tech startup scene

First it was cod. Then it was oil.

But despite those economic setbacks — which still cast a shadow over Newfoundland and Labrador's financial future — one director has turned his camera toward a burgeoning industry gaining a foothold across the province.

A new Absolutely Canadian documentary, airing this weekend on CBC, explores the rapid expansion of the Atlantic province's tech sector — growth that surprised even Christopher Richardson, the man at the helm of Silicon Island.

"There is so much talk of doom and gloom about the N.L. economy, and it's so easy to fall into that camp," Richardson said.

"I was there too, but doing this film really opened my eyes to the real opportunity on the horizon. I had no idea Newfoundland and Labrador had this new front of business activity bubbling away in the background."

Memorial University's business incubator, Genesis, supports the three companies profiled in the film. 

Michelle Simms, president and CEO, says St. John's has turned into a kind of tech hub in the Atlantic region, leading the eastern provinces in new startups.