Following is a letter to Burnaby residents from Mayor Mike Hurley
Over the years, family visiting from Ireland have always been excited to explore the Burnaby locations they recognize from film and television, particularly The Good Doctor. Touring Bridge Studios and seeing an entire sound stage transformed into a hospital set, or simply walking around the city became an opportunity to recall familiar scenes.
It's been wonderful to see how Burnaby’s film industry has grown over several decades, as studio facilities expanded, an increasingly skilled workforce developed and specialized companies established themselves to support productions. That entire network matters because producers now come here knowing the crews, technical expertise, equipment, suppliers and studio space they need are already in place. An industry with that depth, expertise and reputation cannot simply be built from scratch.
Today, Burnaby is Hollywood North. We are home to roughly two-thirds of British Columbia’s studio space. The scale of the industry here is remarkable. Mammoth Studios has a 120,665-square-foot sound stage, one of the largest in North America, while Bridge Studios’ new $350-million Lake City Studios complex spans 1.3 million square feet and includes 21 sound stages, making it one of North America’s largest purpose-built film production facilities.
The film and TV industry brings jobs, investment and so much economic activity, but its importance goes beyond that. Residents see their city and neighbourhoods on screen, while people thousands of kilometres away recognize Burnaby through the productions made here.
Creating local jobs across Burnaby’s economy
Digital media and entertainment directly supports around 9,500 jobs in Burnaby, with motion picture and video production accounting for nearly a third of them. But the impact of the film industry extends far beyond the people seen on screen or behind a camera.
Every production puts a wide range of people to work. Carpenters, electricians, painters and welders build the sets. Costume designers, tailors, hair stylists and makeup artists create what appears on screen. Camera operators, lighting technicians, sound crews, editors, animators and visual-effects artists bring each production to life.
Location managers find the right places to film, while drivers, security teams and traffic-control crews keep everything moving safely. Accountants manage production budgets, lawyers negotiate contracts, caterers feed the crews, and hotels accommodate visiting actors and production staff.
Productions rent equipment and vehicles, purchase lumber and building materials, hire office and warehouse space, and use local restaurants, retailers and professional services. This all creates and sustains local jobs in our city. Burnaby is also home to companies that specialize in production equipment, set construction, props, visual effects and other services the industry depends on.
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This network has grown alongside the studios, creating opportunities for local tradespeople, creative professionals and businesses that may never appear in the credits.
That is what makes the industry so important to Burnaby. A major production does not create work in just one studio. Its spending reaches workers and businesses throughout the city, supporting thousands of jobs. Most people in our city will know at least one person connected in some way to this crucial industry.
Bringing investment and economic activity into Burnaby
The Mayor’s Task Force on Burnaby Economic Growth and Resilience highlighted the importance of attracting investment and building on the industries in which Burnaby already has a competitive advantage. Film and television is one of those industries. It brings production spending into the city, attracts related companies and supports economic activity across Burnaby.
Part of Burnaby’s advantage is that it is also such an attractive place for people to live and work. Productions need skilled people, and the industry is stronger when those workers want to build their lives here. Burnaby offers established neighbourhoods, parks and green space, public transit, services and easy access to the rest of the region.
The city’s physical character is also central to its success. Major studio facilities are located close to urban centres, residential streets, heritage buildings, beautiful forests, waterfront and mountain views. Productions need to move easily between studio sets and real-world locations, so having both in the same city is a significant advantage.
Every production filmed here also showcases Burnaby. Our streets, parks, buildings and natural landscapes are seen by audiences around the world. That exposure strengthens Burnaby’s reputation and helps present the city as an attractive place to visit, invest, work and live.
Capitalizing on Burnaby’s location at the heart of the region
Time is money in film and television, and Burnaby’s central location helps productions work efficiently. The city offers easy access to other studios, equipment suppliers, visual-effects companies and the many specialized businesses located across the region. It is also well connected by road and transit, close to Vancouver International Airport and downtown Vancouver hotels, where visiting actors and production teams often stay.
Burnaby’s Pacific time zone is another advantage, as is its proximity to an incredible variety of filming locations. Our Film Office brings these advantages together by providing a one-stop shop for productions. It helps filmmakers navigate permits and City requirements, giving them a supportive partner and greater certainty when working in Burnaby and we are so proud of the work they do and the excellent feedback we receive.
These advantages are reinforced by the wider strengths of the city. Transportation, housing and community amenities are essential to attracting and retaining the skilled workers and businesses the industry depends on.
People need to be able to get to work, find a place to live and enjoy the quality of life that makes them want to build their careers here. Together, these conditions help film and television thrive as part of Burnaby’s wider innovative economy.
Ensuring the industry has a voice
Film and television touches almost every part of Burnaby’s economy, so decisions made in other areas can have significant knock-on effects. Short-term rental restrictions, for example, have reduced the flexible accommodation available to cast and crews staying for extended periods.
Many actors prefer this type of accommodation because it offers more privacy and practical amenities such as a kitchen for healthy meals. Fewer options increase pressure on hotels, which adds to production costs and can make our city and region less competitive.
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During a recent Voices of Burnaby podcast, Amy Lang, president of North Shore Studios and Mammoth Studios, stressed the importance of having industry experts at the table when governments develop policies that could affect the sector to help anticipate unintended consequences while still, of course, achieving broader policy goals.
Burnaby’s studios have traditionally operated at capacity, but space is now available as the global film and television market continues to evolve. Burnaby is well positioned to attract new productions. Strong support and promotion from all orders of government, working alongside industry partners, is an important part of this and will help the sector build on its success and continue contributing so much to our city.
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