Alberta’s film industry has experienced amazing growth since the introduction of the Alberta Film and Television Tax Credit (FTTC) in 2020. According to the Government of Alberta website, this refundable tax credit offers a 22 or 30 per cent reimbursement on eligible production costs to corporations producing films, TV series and other screen-based projects in the province.

“Since its launch, the FTTC has generated over $1.7 billion in production value and created approximately 9,000 jobs,” shared Patricia MacQuarrie, general manager of community development.

Communities like Sundre and Didsbury have capitalized on this boom by establishing the Mountain View Regional Film office, which has successfully attracted both national and international productions.

Inspired by the growth of Sundre and Didsbury, the City of Camrose is now making plans to establish itself as a prime location for filmmakers, offering both rural and urban scenery. The city worked together with a student from the University of Alberta Augustana Campus,  to design a policy for potential economic benefits and filming opportunities.

“Having a university student come in and help us do the research and development of this policy has been very valuable. It has allowed us to finally get this project off the ground and running,” commented MacQaurrie.

The City drafted a film production bylaw and council policy to streamline the process for production companies.

“This project was part of a semester-long community service learning program through my local municipalities class with Dr. Clark Banack. I feel pride and joy in knowing I got to work on something that can bring a positive change to Camrose,” said Jaetta Chambers, a third-year law student at Augustana.

The proposed bylaw includes appointing a film official to oversee and approve permits, with the policy serving as a comprehensive guide. “The goal for our project was to build a regulatory framework that can position Camrose as a film-friendly community and support attracting the emerging industry to Camrose,” said Jaetta.

Important considerations in the draft include managing road closures, setting fee schedules, and regulating the use of firearms and emergency vehicles in productions.

“Because of the unique nature of this industry, there are very specific regulatory framework policies about what you can and cannot do in the city. These policies are meant to give the production flexibility while also protecting the City’s landscape, as well as the safety and integrity of the community,” said MacQuarrie.

Road closures often present challenges due to unpredictable factors, and the City administration outlined three possible approaches: maintaining Council approval for all closures, delegating authority to a film official, or allowing the film official to manage timing after council approval.

The policy also addresses safety concerns regarding firearms and weaponry, permitting their use only under strict conditions and requiring a licensed armorer on set. Council will need to decide if additional measures, such as the presence of a sworn officer, are necessary. While some productions may request the use of City-owned emergency vehicles, the administration recommended against this due to potential liability risks. The Council currently feels that allowing a film official to make the decisions around road closures might be in everyone’s best interest, but they will discuss this further once the final draft is brought back for further reading.

Once a policy is finalized and approved by the council, future efforts will focus on promoting the city as a filming destination, developing online resources, and including Camrose in provincial location databases.