Filming In Canada

Canada

From the vast, modern cities of Toronto and Vancouver, to unspoilt national parks and charming small towns, Canada offers producers and directors a wealth of filming locations for any production. Landmarks such as the dramatic Niagara Falls and the snow-capped mountains of Banff have anchored many major productions, and the country sustains a thriving film and television production industry. NEEDaFIXER supports your production at every stage, from pre-production planning and location scouting through to the shoot itself and post-production, so production companies can bring each project to Canada with confidence.

Canada is keen to welcome film and television production, and offers generous tax incentives and tax credits to producers filming in the country. That’s why so many American productions are shot north of the border, and why so many production companies base long-running projects here.

It’s usually pretty easy to get permits for basic shots, but if you want to do something more complex then it’s worth using the services of NEEDaFIXER CANADA to get the right paperwork.

We can also help with the sometimes confusing visa process, ensuring everyone has what they need to start work.

Filming in Canada

Whether you are a producer, director, or production company, NEEDaFIXER provides the production services that keep your project moving. If you need local crew such as camera operators, drone pilots, runners, line producers, or assistant directors, then we can use our extensive network to find production professionals to work on your project.

If you film in cities like Vancouver or Toronto, then there are large numbers of locals who work in the production industry, but if your project takes you somewhere more remote then crewing can be a challenge. NEEDaFIXER can help you build a production crew in Canada no matter where the shoot is taking place.

Casting can also be a challenge in Canada, especially in more remote locations, but we can help you find actors for your production. We can e-mail showreels and other information on potential cast during the pre-production process, so producers and directors can make casting decisions before the project arrives in Canada. Once principal photography wraps, we can also point your production towards trusted post-production facilities to finish the project.

Many major Hollywood movies have been filmed around Canada. The Incredible Hulk was set in New York City but was actually a Toronto production, while in the movie Capote the town of Selkirk, Manitoba stood in for scenes set in Kansas. Many areas of Canada closely resemble the USA, and NEEDaFIXER CANADA can help your production find a location that’ll look right on film.

Fixers in Canada

There are many great filming locations across Canada, from urban to rural, and it’s usually pretty easy to secure permission for a production in most areas. The cities of Vancouver and Toronto are colloquially known as Hollywood North due to the sheer volume of film and television production that takes place there, and so the local industry is well used to welcoming international crews and supporting incoming production companies on every project.

Toronto is home to Pinewood and Revival 629 studios, while Vancouver Film Studios is the largest production facility in North America bar those in Los Angeles, giving feature and television production the stage space it needs.

Vancouver has been the production base for many TV shows, including The X-Files, Supernatural, and Smallville, as well as many major feature films. In Toronto, series such as Suits were produced, with the city often standing in for New York. These are the kinds of long-running television production that have made the Canadian crew base so deep. NEEDaFIXER CANADA can help your project find locations within these cities, or out in more remote areas, and arrange the logistics to make your production a success.

What can our fixers in Canada do for you?

If your production is filming in areas such as Niagara Falls or national parks, then NEEDaFIXER CANADA can help with the practicalities. Many major landmarks are popular with tourists, so your project will need to sort out crowd control and ensure the production doesn’t interfere with visitors.

We have experience supporting productions in tourist hotspots and can ensure all the permits are sorted, and the crew are ready to film from day one. Another challenge can be finding locations that look visually similar to American cities and towns. Our team have knowledge of many Canadian locations, from popular filming spots to more remote, untouched locations, so can offer your production expert advice and guidance throughout the project.

Tax Incentives & Tax Credits in Canada

Canada is one of the most cost-effective places in the world for film and television production, and its tax incentives are a major reason producers and production companies keep returning. At the federal level there are two principal tax credits. The Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit (CPTC) returns 25% of qualifying Canadian labour to Canadian-owned productions, while the Film or Video Production Services Tax Credit (PSTC) is open to foreign productions and returns 16% of qualifying Canadian labour on an accredited project. International producers shooting a service production almost always work with the PSTC.

The federal tax credits stack with generous provincial tax incentives, and this is where Canada’s reputation as Hollywood North is earned. In British Columbia, the Production Services Tax Credit rewards international productions at 36% of qualifying BC labour for projects whose principal photography began on or after 1 January 2025, with a matching 36% rate for Canadian-content production. In Ontario, the Ontario Production Services Tax Credit (OPSTC) returns 21.5% of qualifying production expenditure for foreign and service productions, while the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit (OFTTC) supports Canadian-controlled production at 35%. NEEDaFIXER CANADA can help your production structure each project to make the most of the tax credits available in British Columbia, Ontario and beyond.

Television Production in Canada

Where a feature film comes to Canada for a single shoot, a television production often sets up for years, and that is exactly what has built the country’s deep crew base. Canada is a natural home for episodic television production: the same provincial tax credits that reward feature production apply to a returning TV series, and the long production schedules let a project build a settled, experienced local crew.

Toronto and Vancouver are the busiest television production hubs. Suits ran for nine seasons as a Toronto production, with the city doubling for New York across the project, while Vancouver carried long-running series such as Supernatural, Smallville and The X-Files. Whether your project is a feature, a limited series or a returning television production, NEEDaFIXER CANADA can crew the shoot, secure the locations and keep the production on schedule.

Popular Canadian Filming Locations

Some popular cities and locations for international productions to film in include:

Toronto

The largest city in Ontario, Toronto is often a stand-in for New York, and it’s usually much easier to bring a production here than to the Big Apple. American Psycho, The Incredible Hulk, and My Big Fat Greek Wedding were all set in New York, but filmed in a disguised Toronto, and the city remains one of the busiest production centres in the country.

Vancouver

Vancouver has been the setting for major productions such as Fifty Shades of Grey, The Cabin in the Woods, and Twilight movies. It has many locations for city shots and is in close proximity to unspoilt rural areas.

Located in British Columbia, Vancouver has a Los Angeles feel and the richest post-production and studio infrastructure outside the United States. With its cosmopolitan lifestyle, stunning scenery and diverse wildlife, this North American gem is a wonderful place to base a production.

Niagara Falls

The iconic Niagara Falls are a great place to film dramatic shots, and have been seen in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End and Blues Brothers 2000.

The Canadian Rockies

The breath-taking scenery of the Rockies created the perfect backdrop for Brokeback Mountain and many nature documentaries. You truly can’t beat the Rockies for scenery, and the mountains are known as a top destination in the world.

Frequently Asked Questions