filming in north bay, ontario
our community at a glance
North Bay is a vibrant city of 54,000 people and has a regional population of 109,000. The city is centrally located at the junction of highways 11 and 17, is a 3.5 hour drive from both Toronto and Ottawa and is only an hour’s drive North of Huntsville. North Bay is well connected by land, air, rail and telecommunication infrastructure. North Bay’s Jack Garland Airport provides regularly scheduled passenger and air cargo service to and from the city.
location diversity
With a number of rural neighbouring communities and nearby access points to Algonquin Park, urban film sequences can easily be combined within a short distance from countryside landscapes.
Unique attractions such as the Heritage Railway & Carousel Company and the Chief Commanda II cruise vessel provide unique seasonal backdrops for filming.
North Bay’s natural environment lends itself to a variety of four season recreational activities including cross country and downhill skiing, access to 3,400 km of groomed snowmobile trails, close proximity to 8 golf courses, 6 marinas, 42 beaches, 74 park areas and access to 100+ km of multi-use trails.
Features within city limits include: Duchesnay Falls, the Laurentian Ski Hill, St. Joseph’s Mother House, 2 large lakes with uninhibited vistas (Lake Nipissing & Trout Lake), vacant islands and Otter Lake - a municipally owned, pristine lake property of 350 acres.
In 1959, construction began on an underground complex in North Bay. Operations of the North American Aerospace Defense Command took place in what is commonly referred to as “The Hole� until an above-ground facility was constructed in 2005.
The Hole is a 140,000 sq.-ft., 3-storey office complex located 690 feet underground as a nuclear-proof facility.
Currently, the facility remains vacant and is maintained by the Department of National Defense.
North Bay is home to one of only two former Bomarc Missile Sites in Canada. The 130 acre gated property contains 28 individual missile silos, 2 warehouses and is located at the north end of the City of North Bay.
Doing business in North Bay and area conveniently combines unique rural landscapes with the benefits and location options of an urban centre.
Buildings range from historic, century-old heritage sites like the former North Bay Normal School to modern multi-million dollar facilities such as the brand new North Bay Regional Health Centre.
Locally, Nipissing University and Canadore College offer a variety of full-scale mock rooms including: a court room, medical rooms, an airport hangar and many more.
Residential areas include 18th century homes, 50’s ranch-style neighbourhoods, upscale properties on the escarpment, lakefront housing and a variety of condominiums.
arts, culture & heritage
North Bay has a variety of amenities and hosts many activities that contribute to the community’s cultural fabric.
Area museums include the original homestead of the Dionne Quintuplets and the former Canadian Pacific Railway Station.
The community features numerous art galleries, a 1,000 seat arts centre and a number of historical buildings.
North Bay also borders the Nipissing 10 First Nations reserve.
talent pool
North Bay takes advantage of the Northern Ontario talent pool to support multimedia projects. Locally, Nipissing University & Canadore College offer a variety of programs to support film and digital media productions.
infrastructure North Bay’s Jack Garland Airport is municipally owned, has a 10,000 foot runway - one of only 4 in Ontario, and can accommodate all types of aircraft.
North Bay is at the cross roads of the national fibre network, supporting various ICT operations including the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). With access to high speed Internet and full cell coverage from all major carriers, working in remote areas is possible and convenient.
Fully serviced business parks offer a variety of industrial and commercial space.
Comprehensive medical services in North Bay are provided by the new $550 million North Bay Regional Health Centre.
Originally established as a transportation hub, North Bay has maintained active rail lines that areaccessible for filming purposes.
incentives ■
No film permit fees
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A Film & Television Production Handbook is available with relevant contact information and application templates
The Economic Development Department supports productions by:
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Streamlining all necessary municipal permits and approvals through an established Project Review Team—includes representatives from relevant municipal departments
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Assisting with Preliminary location scouting
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Facilitating local contacts
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Liaison with community partners
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Assisting with public funding applications
Funding specific to Northern Ontario:
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The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation’s Emerging Technology Program
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The Northern Ontario Media Fund
facts Land Area: Elevation:
77 815 acres 646 ft
Average Seasonal Temperatures Winter Spring Summer Fall
-25 12 25 10
째C 째C 째C 째C
Average Precipitation May - October November - April
93 mm (rain) 43 cm (snow)
Lakes Lake Nipissing - has a surface area of more than 21,000 acres and an average depth 14 ft. Trout Lake - is long and narrow and approximately 11km long and has an average depth of 180 ft. Otter Lake - is a pristine and undeveloped natural area owned by the City of North Bay. The lake has a total park area of 350 acres and a total lake area of 190 acres. Region Neighbouring communities include: Callander, Powassan, Mattawa and West Nipissing. These communities offer unique production locations and are film friendly.
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City of North Bay I Economic Development I 1.800.465.1882 x 2417 investinnorthbay.ca
Film & Television Division