Here in Abbotsford we may be known for our agriculture and aerospace, but we’re also cultivating an ever-growing film sector.
Last year 59 film productions came to our community and filmed at 125 locations over 197 days, resulting in economic impact of more than $2.49 million. This included four feature films, 10 series, 32 movies of the week and nine commercials.
Abbotsford is rapidly becoming an increasingly popular destination for film production. Managing film permits and liaising with the industry used to be something that the City of Abbotsford staff did off the side of their desk, but since last year the City now has a staff member dedicated to all things film.
While Hallmark Christmas movies continue to be our bread and butter, we are now seeing more and bigger TV series and feature films shot in Abbotsford. We’re so busy that sometimes we have to turn away filming due to conflicting location requests.
So far this year we’ve received 81 productions inquiries and 42 applications, resulting in 185 production days at 97 separate filming locations. The City has already brought in more money in fees than last year for items like road use, location filming and AbbyPD involvement, since police must be present in some cases like whenever prop weapons are used or when actors are dressed as police. At this point the overall economic impact for 2024 is estimated at $2.27 million, and there are still five months to go.
Four years ago, the City launched a virtual self-guided tour to help connect production teams with filming locations. There are currently 115 locations, and more businesses are continuing to sign on. Each site includes a list of the productions filmed there. Our historic downtown and the Mt. Lehman area are the most popular filming locations, but other sites like the old Abbotsford Courthouse, Fraser Valley Trade and Exhibition Centre (TRADEX), historic properties, farms and parks are also sought out by film crews.
Productions are drawn here due to our city-owned international airport, as well as our proximity to the Canada-US border and the Trans-Canada Highway. The cost of filming is also lower in Abbotsford compared to other parts of the province, and Creative BC also offers a tax credit to film productions that shoot outside of the Lower Mainland. The City also grants one-year film business licences, which keeps TV series coming back.
Productions enjoy the experience of shooting here. They’ve expressed that interactions with the public have been friendly and cordial, with onlookers asking a lot of questions about the process, what is being filmed and even about how to get into the industry. Many productions are happy to explain the production process during their filming time here when filming in public spaces. They’ve have also commented on the City’s ability to balance their needs with residents’ needs and that the City and locals are accommodating and respectful.
We’ve always known that Abbotsford looks good on camera, and thanks to our growing film industry more people are getting the chance to see our community on the big and small screen than ever before.
Abbotsford City Council