Filming Guidelines

The Hamilton Film Office issues two types of film permits, Location and Grid Permits. Contact the Film Office if you are unsure which type of film permit you need for your shoot.

Production vehicles must be parked in off-street parking lots whenever possible. The Film Office does not permit crew parking on City streets. Contact the Film Office for assistance in sourcing off-street parking.

Parking is only permitted in signed legal parking areas. Productions must comply with the Ontario Traffic Manual Book 7 guidelines.

Production vehicles cannot be parked in No Stopping Areas, No Parking Areas, fire routes or loading zones, within 9m of an intersecting street or in a way that impedes an emergency response vehicle. Vehicle parking adjacent to bike lanes is not permitted.

Production vehicles must not block:

Production vehicle parking is not permitted along the perimeter of City Parks. Exceptions might be permitted if there is a permanent fence structure around the park. Contact the Film Office for assistance.

Vehicles with more than 2 rear axels and/or more than 4500 kg are not permitted in municipal parking lots in any circumstances. Requests for heavy equipment (lighting lifts/cranes) in municipal parking lots are considered on a case by case basis. To submit a request, contact the Film Office with the street address, municipal lot number, number of spaces needed, and the dates/times being requested.

Availability of parking within Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) varies throughout the year depending on BIA events and activities. Contact the Film Office for more details.

Intermittent Traffic Control (ITCs) and Temporary Road Closures must adhere to the Ontario Traffic Manual Book 7 guidelines.

• ITCs are preferred over Temporary Road Closures.
• ITCs on transit routes may be limited to off-peak hours and could require a Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) Supervisor onsite at the cost of the production. Contact the Film Office to discuss.  
• ITCs are only permitted for a maximum of 3 minutes at a time and under the supervision of the Hamilton Police Services.

Road Closure application packages must be submitted at least 10 business days before planned filming. Contact the Film Office as early as possible before applying to confirm whether the request can be accommodated as is or with modifications.  The road closure proposal must be conditionally approved by the Film Office before the temporary road closure application package is submitted.

A complete Temporary Road Closure application package must include:

• approved film permit application form
• temporary road closure permit application form
• a Traffic Control Plan completed by a licensed Book 7 Traffic Management Company
• an approved notification letter

Disruptions to residents, occupants, businesses, and City services must be minimized as much as possible. If the shoot affects a City sidewalk, the production must maintain 1.2 metres of unencumbered pedestrian access and accessibility on the sidewalk for mobility device users. Do not block pedestrian or vehicle access to public or private properties. Vehicles with accessible parking permits must be accommodated.

Requests to alter, remove or control traffic signs must be submitted to the Film Office at least 5 business days ahead of filming.

Streetlights can only be turned off when the road is clear of pedestrian and vehicular traffic (i.e. with ITCs or a Temporary Road Closure). Streetlights can only be controlled by a City contractor. Requests to control street lighting must be submitted at least 5 business days ahead of filming.

Requests to alter or move street furniture (e.g. benches, waste receptacles, bike racks, etc.) must be submitted to the Film Office at least 5 business days in advance.

Production vehicles must stay on suitable roadways, depending on the size of the vehicle. Refer to Hamilton’s Truck Route Network for more information about the rules and regulations related to trucks over 4.5 tonnes. 

Trucks may exit the designated Truck Route to access their destination using the shortest distance possible from the Truck Route. Look for the Permissive and Restrictive signage at critical locations which reinforce the Truck Route system.

Ontario enforces reduced load restrictions to protect highways during spring thaw (March 1 to April 30 annually) under Section 122 of the Highway Traffic Act. Ensure that all production vehicles are using suitable roadways during this time. 

Production vehicles may be moved between the hours of 7am to 11pm. Contact the Film Office to request an exemption to move production vehicles before 7am or after 11pm. 

Movement of production vehicles is not permitted after 3pm on October 31.

An application for Dangerous Filming and SPFX must be submitted to the Hamilton Police Services for filming involving guns (relics, replicas, and rubber guns), gunfire, pyrotechnics, squibs, bomb mock-ups, etc. Applications must be submitted at least 10 full business days before filming.

All filming activities involving firearms require a licensed firearm professional on set and supervision by the Hamilton Police Service.

The Hamilton Police Service will advise whether Paid Duty services are required. Paid Duty services must be coordinated through Hamilton Police Services at least 5 business days before filming. Private paid duty services are not permitted. Fees are based on length of paid duty, number of officers and equipment required to service your request. Payment of fees is due directly to Hamilton Police Services.

An application and information package must be submitted to the Hamilton Fire Department for filming involving display fireworks, flame effects and pyrotechnics. Applications and information packages must be submitted at least 10 business days in advance of filming. Review of the application form and information package is a paid service. The Hamilton Fire Department will initiate the review after payment is received.

The Hamilton Fire Department will advise whether a Paid Standby Fire Truck and Crew is required. Paid Standby must be provided by the Hamilton Fire Department, private or out-of-town services are not permitted. Requests for Paid Standby must be submitted at least 10 days in advance of filming.

The Hamilton Police Service’s Paid Duty Office must be notified at least 2 business days in advance for film activity that includes first responder uniforms, prop cruisers, prop emergency vehicles. The Paid Duty Office will advise whether additional support is required and notify emergency dispatchers in case of any calls from the community.

Notify the Film Office if your filming activity will involve drone operations (Remotely Piloted Aircraft or RPAs) and to obtain a film permit. A copy of the drone pilot’s certification must be forwarded to the Film Office to be kept on file.

All drone operations must follow the rules and regulations laid out by Transport Canada for drone safety.

All drone operations must respect the privacy of surrounding residents. Notification letters must include information about drone operations proposed to be used during filming.

Productions working within BIAs should work closely with BIA staff and businesses to discuss the filming plans and ensure the impacts to the BIA and its members are minimized. Contact the Film Office before scouting or planning film activities in or near a BIA so our team can connect you with the BIA.

Requests for filming within a BIA will be considered in consultation with representatives from the BIA. Film shoots must be scheduled to avoid conflicts with community events and peak retail times.

Parking within BIAs may not be available for film purposes during the holiday shopping season (usually November 24 to December 24 in most areas).

Residents and businesses must be notified about any filming activities taking place in their neighbourhood. Productions must use the notification templates provided on Hamilton.ca/film and submit draft notification letters to the Film Office for approval before distributing the letter to those affected.

Neighbourhood consent may be required if:

• Filming is planned in an area that has already had three instances of filming in a calendar year or,
• Filming activity that will occur after 11pm and/or before 7am or,
• It is deemed necessary by the Film Office.

The Film Office will advise if neighbourhood consent is required and will provide a template for canvassing. Draft canvassing letters must be submitted to the Film Office for approval before engaging with residents and/or businesses. The Film Office will consider the feedback provided by those affected to determine if a permit will be issued as requested, issued with conditions or declined.

Notification or neighbourhood consent must occur between 3-10 business days before the anticipated start of filming activities, depending on the scope and impact of the filming activities in the area. Contact the Film Office to discuss the requirements for your production.

Contact the Film Office to request to film at City-owned facilities (e.g. museums, libraries, recreation centres, parks, etc.). Shoots at City-owned facilities should take place outside of the facility’s regular business hours so that City staff can continue to deliver essential services.

Productions are encouraged to donate leftover or surplus meals or food items to reduce food waste. Contact the Film Office for assistance connecting to organizations that accept food donations.

Productions must remove all filming materials and garbage after filming activities are complete.

Grid tie-ins may be available at certain locations. Contact the Film Office for more information.