Film Production

The BC Agricultural Land Commission’s Policy L-22 Activities Designated as a Permitted Non-Farm Use: Gathering for an Event in the Agricultural Land Reserve regulates gatherings for events on agriculturally-zoned lands.

Amongst others, film and theatrical presentations are considered as events within this policy. Policy L-22 stipulates that no more than 150 people may attend an event, that the event must be less than 24 hours in duration, and that a maximum of 10 events of any type are permitted within a calendar year on a farm.

Through dialogue, the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) and Creative BC (CRBC) have both agreed to a two-year pilot initiative supporting temporary non-farm use for the purpose of filming.

The Township is participating as a pilot community. Private property owners in the Township who make application to participate in the pilot will benefit from an expedited application review process and may benefit from reduced application fees. Further, applications that are subsequently approved by the ALC will be eligible to host film productions for up to 60 days per year subject to municipal permit approvals to productions commencing in 2023.

Agricultural Land Commission Filming in the ALR Pilot Program

Pilot Criteria, Requirements, and Review and Approval Process

A. Criteria

Each private property owner (applicant) must make application for each property of interest. Applicant is required to fulfill all the following criteria for each application:

1. Confirm subject property holds provincial farm status. Note: properties that do not hold provincial farm status are ineligible to apply for this pilot.
2. Provide property site plan illustrating soil disturbance mitigation;
3. Provide property site plan illustrating no impact to farm production;
4. Complete Non-Farm Use application form for each property through ALC online portal;
5. Pay ALC application fee; and
6. Upon ALC application approval, provide $10,000 security per parcel to ALC.

B. Requirements

Each private property owner (applicant) must equally attest to all the following requirements for each property of interest for the duration of the 2-year pilot:

1. Ensure that no permanent infrastructure be constructed;
2. Ensure that all contract(s)/agreement(s) between property owner and film production contain clause indicating site will be returned to the same or better condition by production;
3. Ensure that all contracts/agreement(s) between property owner and film production contain clause indicating production is aware of the temporary non-farm use criteria;
4. Ensure film duration in total is no longer than up to 60 days in each year;

C. Review and Approval Process

The following process will be administered for each application made to this pilot:

1. Applications to the ALC online portal will be forwarded to the Township for individual compliance review by Township staff. Applications that are deemed to satisfactorily meet all the above criteria and requirements will be bundled by staff for Township Council’s expedited review.
2. Each Council-endorsed bundle will then be forwarded by the Township to the Agricultural Land Commission for expedited review and approval.
3. Within 3 business weeks, the Agricultural Land Commission will communicate in writing with each applicant regarding status of their application for this pilot. Approved applications will be then required to provide $10,000 security per parcel to ALC before being able to proceed. Once security is received and acknowledged by ALC, approved property will then be eligible to host film productions for up to 60 days per year subject to municipal permit approvals to productions.
4. The Agricultural Land Commission will equally advise Creative BC and the Township in writing approvals issued.

Next Steps

As a private property owner of agriculturally-zoned lands in the Township who has welcomed film productions from time to time, if you are interested in hosting more than 10 single-day film productions per year you are encouraged to make application to participate in this 2-year pilot in the Township. Here are next steps:

1. Visit the ALC’s online application portal to familiarize yourself with the application form and requirements. Ensure to click on “Non-Farm Use” tab.
2. Review the ALC’s sample completed application to familiarize yourself with the types of information you will be required to include with your online application. Ensure to click on “Conduct a Non-Farm Use activity within the ALR” under “1. Select Application Type.”
3. Identify whether you or your designated property agent will complete application for your property. To learn more about the ALC’s agent authorization process, visit Who Can Make an Application.
4. Plan for how your property will achieve the ALC’s required $10,000 security for each subject parcel. The ALC’s acceptable forms of security include:
   • Letter of Credit
   • Certified Cheque
   • Bank Draft
   • Electronic Funds Transfer
     Approved applications will receive detailed instructions from the ALC on completing these criteria.
5. Create a Basic or Business BCeID to log into the ALC Application Portal to complete your application.
6. Draft your online application; you can save your draft and complete later. Before you finalize and submit your online application for this pilot, you are encouraged to consult with ALC staff.
7. Contact the Township’s Film and Creative staff should you have questions, concerns, etc. Email us to filmpilot@tol.ca; we’ll respond within 2 business days.

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.

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.

Film productions working in the Township’s Communities & Neighborhoods

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.