
A PORTAL THAT CONTAINS RESOURCES FOR INTERNATIONAL PRODUCERS INTERESTED IN FILMING IN CANADA
Production ReStart is a compilation of resources we’ve put together for you in preparation for shooting in Canada. Canada is ready for your production team and we’re one of the best options for restarting your production.
This is not a definitive list, but our team is working to keep this page updated as information becomes available.
If you have questions about about any of the information presented on this page, or about filming in Canada in general, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us at restart@whites.com.
Page Index:
- Immigration, Border Crossing & Quarantine
- Provincial Tax Credits
- Production Equipment & Safety Guidelines
- Local Resources
- Testing for your Production Crew
- Community Safety
IMMIGRATION, BORDER CROSSING & QUARANTINE
- Foreign workers visiting Canada for essential (non-discretionary) reasons must quarantine for 14 days. For your convenience, we’ve curated a Border Crossing 101 document, which outlines further details including how to apply for a work permit.
- The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) requested clarification from the Government of Canada regarding the Canada Border Services Agency’s policy on visiting Canada for industry work. This COVID-19 Film and TV Industry document thoroughly explains the process of workers crossing the border into Canada.
PROVINCIAL TAX CREDITS
Below you’ll find information pertaining to provincial tax credits for the film and television industry in BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia.
- Government of BC and Creative BC.
- Government of Alberta and Alberta Film.
- Government of Manitoba, Manitoba Film & Music and On Screen Manitoba.
- Government of Ontario, Film Ontario, Ontario Creates, Culture Industries Ontario North and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation.
- Government of Nova Scotia and Screen Nova Scotia.
PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT & SAFETY GUIDELINES
- On June 24th, 2020, our friends at Creative BC created a Motion Picture Industry COVID-19 Safety Guidelines document that has been reviewed by WorkSafeBC to reduce COVID-19 exposure and transmission when filming in British Columbia.
- On June 25th, 2020, the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development approved a document entitled COVID-19 Safety Guidelines for the Film and Television Industry in Ontario, which all productions filming in the province are expected to follow. Productions looking to film in Toronto can find additional resources at the city website’s Health and Safety Guidelines section.
- On June 30th, 2020, Dentons assembled a thorough coast-to-coast collection of provincial Re-Opening Resources for your convenience.
- On July 16th, 2020, Wynonna Earp, a show supported via our Calgary office, started production back up for its 4th season. The production team at Seven24 Films put together a comprehensive document detailing their COVID-19 Safety Guidelines During Production.
- On July 16th, 2020, IATSE 667 compiled a document featuring Rental House Best Practises and Resources.
- On July 29th, 2020, the Production Equipment Rental Group (PERG) created the PERG Safe Return to Work Guidelines, a document that outlines measures for camera and lighting equipment rental operations including facilities that rent sound stages and vehicles.
Production Equipment Options to Consider:
- If you aren’t already familiar with the unique reach offered by camera cranes and jibs, we encourage you to visit our COVID-19 Production Support Resources page. We also outline additonal equipment offerings including hand-washing stations and air-scrubbers to keep your crew and sets consistently sanitized.
LOCAL RESOURCES
- Many hotels across Canada are prepared to offer quarantine-ready services for your production team. These hotels will be able to answer any questions you have concerning food delivery services and anything else you may require during your 14-day quarantine. If you’re looking for accommodations during your stay in Canada, we’ve curated a list of hotels for each of the provinces in which we operate. Please see our Canadian Hotel Recommendations document for more information.
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If you’ve already decided on bringing your production to Vancouver or Toronto, our Studios team have put together a more in-depth guide that explores local hotels, restaurants and laundry services. Please see our Toronto & Vancouver City Guide document for more information.
TESTING FOR YOUR PRODUCTION CREW
- The CMPA curated a list of COVID-19 Provincial and Territorial Self-Assessments.
- Dynacare offers COVID-19 laboratory testing for Ontario and Manitoba residents.
- Datametrex offers COVID-19 detection kits.
- Lifelabs works alongside the government and public health officials to support COVID-19 testing in BC and Ontario.
- SetTest have over 25 years of film and television industry experience and using this knowledge they have created customized COVID-19 testing services for productions based in BC, Alberta and Ontario.
COMMUNITY SAFETY
- BC Centre for Disease Control, WorkSafeBC’s Protocols for Returning to Motion Picture and TV Operation and the BC Post Production Health & Safety Task Force COVID-19 Safety Guideline.
- Alberta Media Production Industries Association (AMPIA).
- Manitoba Film & Music.
- Government of Ontario and Ontario Creates.
- Government of Nova Scotia and Screen Nova Scotia.