Film Production

COVID-19 | Return to Safe Operation

Since the June 24, 2020 BC Government’s Restart Plan - Phase 3 announcement, the Township has been working with the motion picture and television industry for a gradual, staged restart in our community. 

Our primary focus has and continues to be balancing the needs of our residents, businesses, and creative industry.

Effective September 1, 2020, the Township has moved to Stage 2 of our Film Industry Restart.

Township staff have and will continue to carefully review each production request individually  to support this continued staged return to a pre-COVID-19 film production activity levels.

Here’s some important information to help you understand how this industry has prepared to safely return to communities across BC.

• From early March to mid-June 2020, BC’s motion picture and television production industry self-elected to go on hiatus as a result of COVID-19 - for the safety and welfare of its workers and the public
• The industry formed the BC Motion Picture Industry Working Coalition, comprised of industry agencies, guilds, and unions to developed new safety guidelines for all productions to follow for the industry’s safe return into communities across BC. The industry understands that COVID-19 has heightened the importance of early and ongoing public communications. The Motion Picture Industry COVID-19 Safety Guidelines were released on June 24, 2020
• On June 5, 2020 WorkSafeBC released its Return to Safe Operation Protocol - Motion Picture and Television Production
• On June 24, BC announced Phase 3 of its Restart Plan which included the safe restart of the motion picture and television production industry

In the Township of Langley, during Stage 2 of the Film restart and until further notice, it is mandatory that all productions must:

• First contact our Film + Creative Department in order to scout/qualify a location/property
• Submit a Film Application no less than 10 business days prior to requested production start date
• Limit curfew extension requests and special effects requests – which will be considered on a case-by-case basis
• Deliver a Township-approved Film Notice to identified neighbouring properties no less than 5 days prior to permitted production start date as part of its Film Permit conditions
• Continue to remit confirmation that production has developed and implemented a COVID-19 Safety Plan as required by WorkSafeBC

The Township’s Film + Creative Department staff have and will continue to work proactively with the motion picture and television production industry to ensure the continued, gradual safe return of this important economic activity to our community.

If you have comments, questions, or concerns, please email filminfo@tol.ca or call 604-533-6151.

Filming in residential neighbourhoods

Filming authorization

All filming that impacts the public, uses or occupies municipal lands, rights-of-way, and/or buildings, and is wholly contained to private property, must be endorsed by the Township of Langley.

Proposed filming notification

Every production must notify affected residents of proposed filming through a Township-approved notification letter.

Consent for proposed extraordinary filming

Through a Township-approved polling letter, every production must obtain residents’ support for proposed works taking place outside of bylaw-stipulated work hours.

Production vehicle parking

Only essential production work vehicles will be considered by the Township for approval to park on municipal streets.

Working with productions that want to film on your property

Property owners are responsible for negotiating directly with the production company the terms of use for their home and/or private property. The Township remains external to these private negotiations.

Registering your property for filming

Property owners interested in registering their private property as a potential filming location can visit Creative BC’s property registration page.

Commendations and complaints register

The Township maintains a database to log and track commendations and to register legitimate complaints against a non-compliant film production.

Bylaw infractions

If a Township-approved film production working in your neighbourhood does not appear to comply with municipal bylaws, contact the Bylaw Enforcement Department at 604-532-7551 or bylaw@tol.ca.

COVID-19 | Return to Safe Operation

Since the June 24, 2020 BC Government’s Restart Plan - Phase 3 announcement, the Township has been working with the motion picture and television industry for a gradual, staged restart in our community. 

Our primary focus has and continues to be balancing the needs of our residents, businesses, and creative industry.

Effective September 1, 2020, the Township has moved to Stage 2 of our Film Industry Restart.

Township staff have and will continue to carefully review each production request individually  to support this continued staged return to a pre-COVID-19 film production activity levels.

Here’s some important information to help you understand how this industry has prepared to safely return to communities across BC.

• From early March to mid-June 2020, BC’s motion picture and television production industry self-elected to go on hiatus as a result of COVID-19 - for the safety and welfare of its workers and the public
• The industry formed the BC Motion Picture Industry Working Coalition, comprised of industry agencies, guilds, and unions to developed new safety guidelines for all productions to follow for the industry’s safe return into communities across BC. The industry understands that COVID-19 has heightened the importance of early and ongoing public communications. The Motion Picture Industry COVID-19 Safety Guidelines  were released on June 24, 2020
• On June 24, BC announced Phase 3 of its Restart Plan which included the safe restart of the motion picture and television production industry

As a business owner in the Township of Langley, if you are approached by production personnel wishing to film at your location, before you enter into any agreement with them please ensure that you are aware of the requirements that productions are required to comply with

Motion Picture Industry COVID-19 Safety Guidelines 

In the Township of Langley, during Stage 2 of the Film restart and until further notice, it is mandatory that all productions must:

• First contact our Film + Creative Department in order to scout/qualify a location/property
• Submit a Film Application no less than 10 business days prior to requested production start date
• Limit curfew extension requests and special effects requests – which will be considered on a case-by-case basis
• Deliver a Township-approved Film Notice to identified neighbouring properties no less than 5 days prior to permitted production start date as part of its Film Permit conditions
• Continue to remit confirmation that production has developed and implemented a COVID-19 Safety Plan as required by WorkSafeBC

The Township’s Film + Creative Department staff have and will continue to work proactively with the motion picture and television production industry to ensure the continued, gradual safe return of this important economic activity to our community.

If you have comments, questions, or concerns, please email filminfo@tol.ca or call 604-533-6151.

Filming in business areas

Filming authorization

All filming that impacts the public, uses or occupies municipal lands, rights-of-way, and/or buildings, and is wholly contained to private property, must be endorsed by the Township of Langley.

Proposed filming notification

Every production must notify neighbouring businesses of proposed filming through a Township-approved notification letter.

Consent for proposed extraordinary filming

Through a Township-approved polling letter, every production must obtain support from the neighbourhood for proposed works taking place outside of bylaw-stipulated work hours.

Production vehicle parking

Only essential production work vehicles will be considered by the Township for approval to park on municipal streets.

Filming on your property

In advance of proposed filming, productions are required to contact businesses that may be directly or indirectly impacted. Where a business is a tenant, the tenant is encouraged to contact the property owner to obtain their consent for filming. The Township remains external to negotiations and to agreements for use of business and/or private property. For information on recovering business loss of revenue, visit Creative BC.

Studio location on your business property

Productions wishing to locate their studio on business properties must ensure the property is located in an appropriate zone and complies with associated municipal zoning requirements. Where proposed use of a property is different than property zoning permits, productions must first contact the Township Film Coordinator about Temporary Use Permit requirements.

Open for business signage

When Township-approved filming is to take place fronting a business, productions must place approved signage proximate to the business, indicating the business remains open.

Acknowledging businesses through restricted filming periods

Filming in all areas of the municipality is restricted:

• on Saturdays and Sundays
• on statutory holidays
• in July, August, and December
• during municipal special events and/or during construction periods in potential coinciding locations

Filming is not permitted in the business core of Fort Langley:

• on statutory holidays and may include, as required, dates preceding statutory holidays
• in December

Commendations and complaints register

The Township maintains a database to log and track commendations and to register legitimate complaints against a non-compliant film production.

Bylaw infractions

If a Township-approved film production working in your neighbourhood does not appear to comply with municipal bylaws, contact the Bylaw Enforcement Department at 604-532-7551 or bylaw@tol.ca.

COVID-19 | Return to Safe Operation

Since the June 24, 2020 BC Government’s Restart Plan - Phase 3 announcement, the Township has been working with the motion picture and television industry for a gradual, staged restart in our community. 

Our primary focus has and continues to be balancing the needs of our residents, businesses, and creative industry.

Effective September 1, 2020, the Township has moved to Stage 2 of our Film Industry Restart. 

Here’s some important information to help you understand Township requirements as you explore locations in our community.

As part of the Township’s Stage 2 – Film Industry Restart, we will consider film productions in order as listed below that:

• Were active productions prior to COVID-19 and/or had approved permits that were unfulfilled due to industry hiatus
• Have recognized pre-established and/or reoccurring locations
• Had achieved successful polling for curfew extension(s) prior to COVID-19 but were unable to fulfill due to industry hiatus.  Re-polling will not be required however polled properties must be notified
• Have first contacted our Film + Creative Department to scout/qualify all potential location(s)/property(ies). To qualify a location, you continue to be required to include preliminary details along with the level of impact and duration. Our goal remains to respond to each scouting request within 1 business day
• Submit a Film Application no less than 10 business days prior to requested production start date. Completed packages must be submitted by email to film@tol.ca and include:
  • Film Application form
  • Highways Use Permit – Filming permit application
  • Business License Application form
  • Notice of Intent for each pre-qualified location outlining all proposed filming activities, dates, times, a site plan including all film and parking locations, along with the level of neighbourhood impact
  • Confirmation that production has developed and implemented a COVID-19 Safety Plan as required by WorkSafeBC
• Request curfew extensions (limited).  Requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.  Polling will be required and for properties/area identified by the Township
• Request special effects (limited).  Requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.  Polling will be required and for properties/area identified by the Township

• New productions making applications that include curfew extension / special effect requests will be reviewed promptly to ensure paper-polling of TOL-identified properties is able to be completed no less than 10 business days prior to requested production start date
• Temporary full road closures will not be considered during Stage 2

Staff will continue to review each Film Application in a timely manner.

• Once approved by staff, productions will be required to deliver a Township-approved Film Notice to identified properties no less than five days prior to permitted production start date as part of its Film Permit conditions

Staff will continue to work to keep industry updated as the Township’s gradual restart of the film industry progresses.

If you have comments, questions, or concerns, please email us to film@tol.ca or call 604-533-6151.

We look forward to working with you as industry safely returns to operation during COVID-19.

Film production in the Township communities

Mayor and Council support the film industry, and recognize the economic and social benefits it brings to our community. We invite you to our community and appreciate your cooperation while filming in the Township.

The Township of Langley expects all production companies and their cast and crews to abide by the Creative BC Film Industry Code of Conduct for Cast and Crew, which outlines community expectations when filming in British Columbia.

Each production wishing to film on private or public property must obtain all necessary approved municipal and agency permits in advance of filming.

Please familiarize yourself with the Township's Filming Guideline and new Filming Policy. At the time of your next filming application, you must sign acknowledgement of having read and understood both documents.

We offer simple, straightforward processes, timely turnaround, reasonable fees, and client location confidentiality.

Getting Started

1. Familiarize yourself with the Township’s Filming Guideline and Filming Policy
2. Submit a completed Film Application package
3. Contact our Film Coordinator at 604-533-6151 or film@tol.ca
4. Submit a completed Film Permit Highways Use Permit

Useful Links

• Business Licence Application
• Film Application
• Film Permit
• Filming Guideline
• Filming Fees
• Filming Policy
• Protected Heritage Conservation Areas
• Sample Neighbourhood Notification Letter
• Sample Polling Summary
• British Columbia Motion Picture Tax Credits

Contributing to our Community Partners in Film Reserve

Interested productions can make donations and other contributions to a Township reserve, which funds future, small-scale improvements across our community, such as playground equipment, park benches, and picnic tables. For more information, contact our Film Coordinator at 604-533-6151 or film@tol.ca.