Avid TV viewers and movie goers in Coquitlam may have noticed that the backdrops to some of their favourite shows look pretty familiar these days.
That’s because the city is in the midst of a filming boom, with series such as The Flash and Prison Break along with major Hollywood features like War of the Planet of the Apes and Twilight having shot their productions in the area.
“With the Canadian dollar going down, the film sector is getting busier and busier,” said David Munro, Coquitlam’s manager of economic development. “We want to look at how we can capitalize. How can we grow the film program [in Coquitlam]?”
So far, the city’s strategy appears to be working.
Since 2012, the number of permits issued has risen from 75 to 196 last year while inquiries about shooting here have jumped from 150 to 413 during the same time period. That has led to a hike in film permit revenue to the city, which has gone from $53,295 five years ago to $263,000 today.
But it is not just the increased fees to the city that makes the film sector so attractive, said Munro. He points to data that shows more than a thousand Coquitlam residents work in the industry, making it an important source of employment for the area.
While the Canadian dollar, provincial tax incentives and the proximity to Vancouver are the main drivers for the increase in film productions, Munro said there is something Coquitlam has that is unique to this community: Riverview.
The rolling green hills and decrepit heritage buildings have made the provincially owned hospital lands one of the premier film locations in North America. And once a production comes to town to film at Riverview, the city can work to make sure other types of shots can be done close by, Munro said.
“We already have a variety of people coming into film,” he added. “They are already in the community. They may want to film locally. They may want to do a park scene or on a street. They can do all of that locally.”
Helping with the process is what Munro calls a “one-stop” film office, which can provide an inventory of locations in the area, as well as coordinate permitting with other departments. City staff also work with location scouts, he said, to help them find the best places for their projects.
On Monday, Coquitlam council approved its 2017-’22 Coquitlam Film Strategy, which Munro said will guide the municipality as it works to attract new productions to the area.
“We are the first community with a dedicated film strategy,” he said, noting that the plan includes marketing the city directly to the industry while working to retain existing film businesses already operating in the city.
According to the city, B.C. is the third largest film production jurisdiction in North America, employing 42,000 people, with 80% residing in the Lower Mainland.
gmckenna@tricitynews.com
@gmckennaTC
