Plan Your Shoot

Before you submit your Production Information Sheet and Permit Application, we encourge you to contact staff in the Film Office to discuss your plans.

The Ontario Film Commission’s Digital Locations Library and Ontario Production Guide can help you source Hamilton locations and businesses.  It’s important to let us know which local products and services you take advantage of so that we can share the positive impacts of your production. When filming in Hamilton we also ask that you take into consideration residents, businesses, and safety.

Consideration for the Community

Filming should not negatively affect the local community. This includes (but is not limited to) spill-over lighting, exhaust fumes or noise that may affect their ability to enjoy their property or conduct their business. Consider the following when filming in Hamilton:

• You must comply with the City of Hamilton’s Noise By-law No. 11-258.
• Lighting for filming must not face neighbouring residences.
• All generators used on streets or in public areas must be equipped with silencing attachments unless otherwise approved.
• Filming between 11 pm and 7 am is not permitted in residential areas. If you need to film in this time, you may require approval from affected residents, occupants, businesses, and City of Hamilton staff. If you receive approval to film during this time, you must notify residents.
• Minimize the disruption to residents, occupants, businesses, and City services. You must allow pedestrian and vehicular traffic access to all properties.
• Every effort must be made to ensure that people with special needs are not inconvenienced. For example, accommodating vehicles with disabled parking permits.

Business Improvement Areas

If you plan on filming in a Business Improvement Area (BIA), please notify the Film Office as early as possible. Staff will provide BIA contact information to facilitate notification to the BIA’s.

Staff will confirm if your proposed filming will take place in a BIA, and you will be required to give the BIA executive directors and key contacts a copy of your notification letter before you hand them out to the community.

Health & Safety

You must adhere to all applicable statutes, regulations, by-laws, policies, manuals, and guidelines to ensure safety of the production cast and crew and the public, including but not limited to:

• The Ontario Ministry of Labour’s Safety Guidelines for the Film & Television Industry in Ontario   
• NEW:  Ontario Section 21 Health and Safety Committee COVID-19 Guidance Document
• The Ontario Traffic Manual Book 7

We reserve the right to refuse filming if you do not follow these guidelines. This includes production companies or individuals who have not followed the guidelines in the past.