Building on Burnaby’s Hollywood North success remains important

In a letter to Burnaby residents, Mayor Mike Hurley says the city’s film and television sector has developed over decades into a network of studios, skilled workers and specialized businesses. He says producers come to Burnaby knowing crews, technical expertise, equipment, suppliers and studio space are already available, and that an industry with this depth and reputation cannot easily be built from scratch.

Hurley describes Burnaby as Hollywood North, with roughly two-thirds of British Columbia’s studio space. Mammoth Studios has a 120,665-square-foot sound stage, one of the largest in North America. Bridge Studios’ new $350-million Lake City Studios complex covers 1.3 million square feet and includes 21 sound stages, making it one of North America’s largest purpose-built film production facilities.

Digital media and entertainment directly support about 9,500 jobs in Burnaby, Hurley says, with motion picture and video production accounting for nearly one-third. Productions employ carpenters, electricians, painters and welders; costume designers, tailors, hair stylists and makeup artists; camera operators, lighting technicians, sound crews, editors, animators and visual-effects artists.

Location managers, drivers, security teams and traffic-control crews also support productions, along with accountants, lawyers, caterers and hotels that accommodate visiting actors and production staff. Productions rent equipment and vehicles, buy lumber and building materials, lease office and warehouse space, and use local restaurants, retailers and professional services. Burnaby is also home to companies specializing in production equipment, set construction, props, visual effects and other industry services.

Hurley says the Mayor’s Task Force on Burnaby Economic Growth and Resilience identified attracting investment and building on industries where the city already has a competitive advantage as priorities. Film and television bring production spending into the city, attract related companies and support economic activity across Burnaby, he says.

The mayor points to established neighbourhoods, parks and green space, public transit, services and access to the rest of the region as factors that help attract and retain workers and businesses. Studio facilities are close to urban centres, residential streets, heritage buildings, forests, waterfront and mountain views, allowing productions to move between studio sets and real-world locations. He says filming also puts Burnaby’s streets, parks, buildings and natural landscapes before audiences around the world.

Burnaby’s central location provides access to other studios, equipment suppliers, visual-effects companies and specialized businesses across the region, Hurley says. The city is connected by road and transit and is close to Vancouver International Airport and downtown Vancouver hotels used by visiting actors and production teams. Its Pacific time zone and range of filming locations are further advantages. The city’s Film Office provides productions with one-stop assistance on permits and municipal requirements.

Hurley says transportation, housing and community amenities are also necessary to attract and retain the workforce and businesses on which the sector depends. He says short-term rental restrictions have reduced flexible accommodation for cast and crews staying for extended periods. Many actors prefer such accommodation for its privacy and practical amenities, including kitchens for preparing healthy meals. Fewer options increase pressure on hotels, add to production costs and can make the city and region less competitive.

During a recent Voices of Burnaby podcast, Amy Lang, president of North Shore Studios and Mammoth Studios, said industry experts should be included when governments develop policies that may affect the sector, so unintended consequences can be anticipated while broader policy goals are pursued. Hurley says Burnaby’s studios have traditionally operated at capacity, but space is now available as the global film and television market evolves. He says support and promotion from all orders of government, working with industry partners, can help attract new productions and sustain the sector’s contribution to the city.