Durham Region's natural and cultural landscapes offer unique and versatile locations for a wide range of film shoots. These sites can replicate a variety of time periods and range from picturesque bridges, urban streetscapes, and quaint downtowns to quarries, museums, rural settings, and rustic train stations. Having appeared in many popular films and television series, Durham Region is the perfect place for any production. Explore three of our key filming locations:

• Sunbelt Rentals Film and TV Backlot - Pickering 23-acre modern day small town on 90-acre plot of land purpose built for features, television series, and commercials.
• TriBro Studios recently opened Sandy Beach Studios which is within union zone 1. It is a 40-minute drive from downtown Toronto and 35 minutes from Toronto Pearson International Airport. The facility is 180,000 square feet (sq) with 22 foot ceiling heights, has ample parking for crew and trailers and its features include:
  • 150,000 sf stage area
  • Mill shop, Paint shop and Lock-up
  • 30,000 sf production offices and ancillary space
  • 3 stages at 18,000 sf each
  • 4,000 amp service

• Parkwood’s extraordinarily beautiful and meticulously preserved architecture and grounds are made for the big screen! As a National Historic Site, Parkwood has been careful not to spoil the original quality of the 100 year old Estate, making it a wonderful time-warp location for period and fantasy films, as well as historical documentaries. Over the years, Parkwood has welcomed a long list of prominent film crews and actors, including X-Men, Mrs. America, Umbrella Academy, Nightmare Alley, Hemlock Grove and Anne with an E, to name a few!
• Explore more locations in the Ontario Creates Location Library.
• Explore other Creative Industries Studios in our directory.

Durham Region International Film Festival

The Durham Region International Film Festival (DRIFF) is an annual event that provides attendees with the experience of film (both on and off-screen). It brings together the world of cinema and talented artists to celebrate Durham's strong and growing film industry.

Proximity

Durham is situated on the eastern side of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) and near Toronto's film studios. It offers excellent location choices as a production destination. Commute times to west Durham from key destinations:

• Toronto Pearson International Airport – approximately 46 minutes.
• Pinewood Toronto Studios – approximately 50 minutes.
• Cinespace Film Studios – approximately one hour.
• TriBro Studios, Scarborough – approximately 38 minutes.

Studios, props and post-production

TriBro Studios recently opened Sandy Beach Studios which is within union zone 1. It is a 40-minute drive from downtown Toronto and 35 minutes from Toronto Pearson International Airport. The facility is 180,000 square feet (sq) with 22 foot ceiling heights, has ample parking for crew and trailers and its features include:

• 150,000 sf stage area
• Mill shop, Paint shop and Lock-up
• 30,000 sf production offices and ancillary space
• 3 stages at 18,000 sf each
• 4,000 amp service

Colpitts Design: offers prop design, rapid prototype and manufacturing for film and television. Credits include X-Men, K-19: The Widowmaker, Crash, I Robot, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, The Pacifier, Zoom, The Incredible Hulk, Robocop, Minority Report, Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Suicide Squad.

Footsteps Studio: offers world-renowned Foley services for feature films, IMAX films, television, animation and documentaries. Credits include: American Gods, Vikings, Bladerunner 2049, The Greatest Showman, American Hustle, The Handmaid's Tale, Reign, The Big Short, Meet the Parents and The Help.

Durham College Mixed Reality Capture Studio: offers organizations access to technical expertise, a state-of-the-art motion capture stage with virtual reality tracking equipment, a green screen (compositing) space, and student talent, to assist in the development of experiential applications, which integrate motion capture (mocap), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and virtual production (VP). 

Planning and guidelines

The following guidelines apply to all location filming which takes place in Durham Region, except for current affairs and newscasts.

Film Durham partners with local municipal film liaisons to generate an awareness of the benefits and opportunities for the film industry in Durham Region. The Region works with all eight area municipalities to offer production companies a seamless experience, including comprehensive film resources.

Visit our permits page to complete a film permit application.

Production vehicle restrictions:

• If the filming location is in or near a residential area, production vehicles must arrive no earlier than the time indicated on the film permit.
• Vehicles must park, one by one, turning off their engines as soon as possible.
• Cast and crew vehicles are not covered by the location filming permit. They need to park in designated parking areas, as noted by location managers.

• Filming in residential areas can only take place between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. To change this time, approval from residents is needed. Permits for authorized filming in residential areas between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. will not be approved unless all residents have been notified in advance.

• Any non-production vehicles parked in the residential area cannot be moved or towed.
• Production vehicles are not to block or park in driveways, unless given prior permission by the driveway owner.

Eating, drinking and smoking on location:

• No alcoholic beverages are allowed on a film set or location.
• Cast and crew must eat their meals in a designated area, as per the location agreement or permit.
• Trash must be disposed of within the proper receptacles.
• Cast and crew must observe the designated smoking areas.
• Cigarettes must be extinguished in the appropriate receptacles.

Trees and street signs:

• Crew cannot remove, trim and/or cut any vegetation or trees unless approved in advance by the municipal authority or the property owner.
• Film crews are not to move or remove city street signs.

Noise:

• Members of the cast and crew are to keep noise levels as low as possible.
• Cast and crew will not use rude or improper language.
• Production companies must comply with legislation governing noise.
• All affected residents and merchants must be advised, in advance, of expected noise(s) associated with filming.

Lighting:

• Lighting for filming should be oriented away from the neighbouring residences, unless the residents do not object.
• Lighting should not interfere with the safe movement of traffic.
• Night filming—with intensive lighting between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.—requires written approval by most affected residents.

Etiquette:

• Film company employees are to wear appropriate clothing while on location.
• Displaying offensive slogans and logos is not acceptable in any form.
• Members of the crew must wear a production pass or badge while on location.
• Cast and crew cannot bring guests or pets to the location unless given prior permission.

Film permit application timelines:

• The minimum turnaround time for the issuance of a film permit is two full business days from the date of application, although this is subject to change.
• Permits are typically issued the day before a filming date and/or coning date (when cones are placed across a road to prevent traffic from going on the road).
• Changes to permits require 48 hours written notice to residents, businesses and the film office. Changes include adding streets, filming dates, wrap out dates, parking, special effects, changing blocks, extending filming/parking times, or any other signification filming component.
• In case of rain, rain dates should be added to the application.
• The Region reserves the right to refuse to issue a permit to a production company or individual with a known history of a failure to follow these guidelines.

Residents, occupants and businesses:

• Production companies are required to keep disruption to residents, occupants, businesses and government employees to a minimum. They are not to interfere with access to offices, residences, or business premises and will ensure that pedestrian and vehicular access to these properties is unimpeded.

Residents and business owner information

Health and Safety

All productions are required to work safely. This includes following the Safety Guidelines for the Film and Television Industry in Ontario, the Ontario Traffic Manual Book 7 and any other relevant legislation.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ontario Section 21 Health and Safety Committee COVID-19 Guidance Document has been approved by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (MLTSD).  These guidelines were developed by the Section 21 Film and Television Health and Safety Advisory Committee, a public and private advisory body to the MLTSD pursuant to Section 21 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

To obtain a film permit in Durham Region, productions must confirm that they will work in accordance with all safety guidelines and confirm that they have a health and safety plan in place for each film shoot.

When offering your location for filming you should consider the following:

Important dates:

• The actual shooting (film) days.
• Additional dates required to prepare the location.
• Additional dates required to wrap and clean up after production is completed.

How many film production personnel will be involved?

• Number of crew.
• Number of cast.
• Number of extras.

How many vehicles will require parking?

• Production trucks.
• Crew and extra vehicles.
• Note: location filming permits do not provide parking for crew/extras.

Permits for authorized filming in residential areas between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. will not be approved unless all residents have been notified in advance.

Lighting for filming should be oriented away from the neighbouring residences unless the following applies:

• Residents do not express any objection.
• The lighting does not interfere with the safe movement of traffic.
• Between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., filming with intensive lighting has written approval by most affected residents.

Noise: The production company must comply with legislation governing noise. If the affected residents/occupants/businesses have been advised in advance of the nature of the noise and do not object, the likelihood of a complaint will be reduced.

Disruption to residents/occupants/businesses:

The production company is responsible to ensure there is minimal disruption to residents, occupants, businesses and municipal employees where filming occurs. This includes ensuring residents, owners and customer's access to the premises and ensuring pedestrian and vehicular access to the properties.

Set dressing: What modifications or changes to the site will be required?

Insurance: Ask for your site to be named as the additional insured on the production company's insurance policy and to include a cross-liability clause. Ask for a copy of the certificate prior to the start of filming.

Fees: Ask for any usage fees to be paid in advance. A damage deposit by certified cheque should be issued to the location and held until all film related activity is completed. Once a satisfactory inspection by the location contact and location manager is done, the certified cheque is then returned to the production company.

Staffing: A site representative should be available on set or during filming, preparation and strike. This person is hired by the production company and can be charged back as a production expense. The site representative should be knowledgeable about the site.

Security: Is security required on set? If so, determine what hours they will be working.

Electrical: Will the production company be using on-site power or their own? Usually the production company provides their own generators. When using on-site electricity, factor in the cost recovery when invoicing the production company.

Special effects: Will there be any special effect done on-site, such as fire, smoke or gunfire?

Communication: To avoid confusion, it is very important to maintain good lines of communication between the site representative and the location department.

Site visits: Prior to choosing the location, two or three site visits will usually take place with film personnel, including the producer, director, production designer, art director, location manager and assistant director.

Residents interested in having their house or another property used for filming can register online with the Ontario Creates Digital Library or by calling Film Durham at 905-668-4113 extension. 2617.

Ontario Creates jointly administers the following tax credits for eligible production companies:

• OFTTC - The Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit (OFTTC) is a refundable tax credit available to eligible Ontario-based Canadian corporations of 35 per cent of qualified Ontario labour expenditures for eligible film and television production.
• OPSTC - The Ontario Production Services Tax Credit (OPSTC) is a refundable tax credit to eligible Ontario-based Canadian and foreign-controlled corporations of 21.5 per cent of qualified Ontario production expenditures for eligible film and television productions.
• OCASE - The Ontario Computer Animation and Special Effects Tax Credit (OCASE) is a refundable tax credit to Ontario-based Canadian and foreign-controlled corporations of 18 per cent of qualifying Ontario labour expenditures for digital animation and digital visual effects created in Ontario for film and television productions.

Film Durham has worked with the following local hoteliers to obtain discounted room and suite rates for the film industry. Please book directly with the hotels.

• Holiday Inn Express & Suites Oshawa Downtown (a short walk to Parkwood National Heritage Site)

• Homewood Suites Ajax
• Hilton Garden Inn Ajax
• Holiday Inn Express Whitby/Oshawa

Past Productions

The following titles are just a few of the films and television series shot in Durham Region: