NETWORKS on the hunt for a sweet deal on good programming have set their sights on Canada.

The strength of the US dollar in Canada has made purchasing Canadian-made programming a cheaper alternative, and CBS, for one, is reaping the benefits.

“The [strong] exchange rate and a less expensive cost of living up there are considerations that go into [the decision],” says industry analyst Brad Adgate of Horizon Media.

“They can save some money while doing it, so why not?”

Industry sources say a Canadian-produced show like CBS’ “Flashpoint” would have cost roughly $1.5 million-per-episode if produced in the US.

CBS likely paid in the neighborhood of $400,000-per-episode to import the show from Canada, they say, because of the strong exchange rate and other licensing factors.

And it’s paid off. CBS has found a hit with “Flashpoint,” a procedural drama which premiered as last summer’s most-watched original drama.

And since its January return, the Friday series, originally produced for Canada’s CTV, has averaged nearly 10 million viewers – solid numbers for a traditionally low-rated night.

Based on the success of “Flashpoint,” CBS has partnered again with CTV on another cop-related procedural drama, “The Bridge,” expected to air next season with Canadian-only talent and crew.

Like “Flashpoint,” “The Bridge” will be shot in Toronto with a largely unknown-in-the-US cast.

As a result, it will be less expensive to produce than it would be if shot in LA or New York – as many movies studios have learned over the years.

CBS entertainment chief Nina Tassler says shows like “Flashpoint” and “The Bridge” are “really cost-effective. You do get a lot of bang for your buck, but the nice thing is you’re not sacrificing quality.”

Tassler says that when CBS looked at both of those series, it saw that everything from their high production values to their storylines to their lack of a language barrier “was very palatable to an American audience,” which makes them a good fit with the network’s procedural drama-heavy lineup (including all three “CSI” shows, “Criminal Minds,” “NCIS” and “Numbers“).

Although CBS isn’t looking exclusively at Canada for content, Tassler says its partnership with CTV has “opened up a channel that we had been curious about for years.”

What people may not realize, she says, is “how much A+ talent we have working on network television [in the US] who are Canadian – obviously Paul Haggis, David Shore, Hart Hanson – this is top-tier talent.”