City council votes to approve introduction of new film permitting bylaw

Photo: Castanet Staff

Production crews took over the parking lot of the Brock Shopping Centre in April to shoot a movie titled "Just Clicked."

City council is moving to green-light a new bylaw setting a fee structure and permitting process for production companies to film in Kamloops.

According to a city staff report, the film industry has continued to grow in Kamloops, with 2021 a record-breaking year for production crews hosted by the city.

Sarah Candido, the city’s external relations liaison, told council at its meeting Tuesday that, in the absence of a film permitting bylaw, the city has charged companies at cost recovery — covering the hourly time for city staff to work to support film related projects.

Candido said some indirect costs allowing film work hasn’t been recovered.

“With filming on the rise in Kamloops, a permitting structure that is transparent to external interests and supports covering costs is vital,” Candido said.

The new bylaw would charge commercial production companies a $125 fee for a filming permit, while not-for-profit or student productions would need to pay $25.

An hourly rate for municipal staff is set at $75.

For commercial productions, the city will also collect a $5,000 refundable damage deposit.

Candido said the rates were chosen after doing research on other municipalities, consulting with industry experts and reviewing past invoicing for city services.

According to Candido, once the bylaw is adopted, the city will add a film section to the city’s website, providing resources for film production companies hoping to operate in Kamloops.

Mayor Ken Christian said a pre-pandemic visit to a filming site in Cherry Creek brought to his mind the economic impact that the industry has for the region.

“It is important, and I think the only time I've had complaints was from a producer who was in Kamloops who was complaining about the lack of a bylaw so that they didn't have the ability to plan what the costs were,” Christian said.

“He was indirectly appealing for a surety, I think, in terms of what this would look like.”

City council voted unanimously to introduce the bylaw.