Producer's Guide to Filming in the North

Gain the full northern context through production meetings with regional partners and receive custom location packages from municipal film offices in Northern Ontario.

Participants may be eligible for scouting support through the Ontario Film Commission, which could be used toward an in-person survey of the northern community that truly speaks to their script.

Apply

Northern Ontario is home to six major production centres, each offering distinct qualities across a backdrop of beautiful boreal forest. Learn about our cities and the resources available in each one before you plan your next visit.

SEE CITIES OF NORTHERN ONTARIO

Scout the region through the Ontario Locations Library, featuring film-friendly locations within the geographical areas of Algoma, Cochrane, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Sudbury, and Thunder Bay.

See the Ontario Locations Library

CION provides one-to-one walkthroughs on how to make the most of Northern Ontario’s competitive advantages when it comes to financing.

Tax Credits & Funding

Book a Consultation

A one-stop resource for tracking down and hiring skilled crew from Northern Ontario. Create a Producer profile for free to start anonymously browsing profiles that match your needs and assemble a dream team of local, behind-the-scenes talent.

Check Out the Database

Casting and Talent Agencies

• 46th Parallel Management
• Background Work
• CastNorth
• Northern Casting
• Smyth Casting Inc.
• That Creative Loft
• The Nexus Talent Group

Greater Sudbury

“Your Northern Basecamp” is the fastest growing municipality in the North, with local crew, infrastructure, studio space, equipment, and supporting businesses ready to service projects of all sizes.

Northern Ontario Film Studios (NOFS)

White Owl Film Studios

North Bay

The “Gateway to the North” is a smooth 3.5-hour drive from Toronto and 4-hours from Ottawa, with the amenities, talent, studio space, and beautiful locations required for film and television production.

Mukwa Studio

Northern Ontario Film Studios (NOFS)

Parry Sound

Situated within the UNESCO Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve, Parry Sound offers rugged Canadian Shield landscapes, a stunning waterfront of the Thirty Thousand Islands, and small-town charm.

Sault Ste. Marie

Located on the shores of Lake Superior and bordering the States, Sault Ste. Marie is a hidden gem for filmmakers, offering breathtaking natural landscapes from lush forests to historic architecture.

Stardust Pictures Studio

Thunder Bay

Thunder Bay sits on the Canadian/American border with quick flights to Manitoba. It boasts historical architecture, vibrant culture, and enriching scenes of forest, fields, hills, lakes, and waterways.

Timmins

A burgeoning city with easy access to all sorts of shots just 15-minutes from the city centre. Find a mix of rural and urban settings, miles of forest, a picturesque downtown, and all the snow you could dream of.

Our directory of regional resources and service providers help you identify and connect with an expanding list of businesses and start-ups across Northern Ontario’s major production centres.

Optimize your production grants by working with Northern Ontario-based companies and suppliers on your production—we've got all our major studios, equipment providers, vendors, and suppliers listed here.

See Film Resources & Services

Our most recent report on Northern Ontario’s film and television production industry consolidates information about the wide array of services that make our region a vibrant production jurisdiction and offers an assessment of the economic impact of production activity in film-friendly cities.

It is our intention to issue recurring industry snapshots that can help stakeholders, workers, and investors track and promote production opportunities of all shapes and sizes in Northern Ontario. Click the link below to read the 2025 edition of CION's "Assessment of Northern Ontario's Film and Television Production Industry".