Experience your future

Economic Development Cowichan is guided by the Corporate Plan of the CVRD and by its own 2018-2022 Strategic Plan.

Film Cowichan operates under the umbrella of Economic Development Cowichan and is the first stop for all film enquiries in the region.

Film Cowichan works in collaboration with the South Island Film Commission in Victoria, the North Island Film Commission (INFilm) in Campbell River, and Creative BC to attract film productions to the Island and to provide a seamless service for productions and commercials that are filming here.

Our activities include promotion of the Cowichan film locations, preparation of online location packages, assistance with scouting and permitting, liaising with local municipalities and business organizations and supporting local film initiatives. For assistance with filming in the region, please contact:

Laura Jennifer Leppard
Film Coordinator, Film Cowichan
250.732.1419
[email protected]

Tax Credits and Local Film Locations

The Cowichan region is eligible for a full range BC film tax credits. Visit the Creative BC website for tax credit incentive information.

An extensive library of Cowichan film locations is available on Creative BC’s Reel Scout website.

Cowichan Film Activity

Because of its proximity and easy access to major film centres in Vancouver and LA, Cowichan has become home to renowned independent film producers, technical crews and ancillary businesses that provide service to the film industry. The Vancouver-based digital animation company Bron Studios has a satellite office in Duncan employing nearly a dozen animators from around the world.

Recent filming includes an episode of the Amazing Race along with the major Hollywood film “Sonic the Hedgehog” in Ladysmith and the 2017 production “Light of My Life,” directed by Academy Award winning actor Casey Affleck. During the past decade, more than two dozen productions filmed here, accounting for more than $145 million in economic spin-offs for the region.

Did You Know?

• The ferry scenes in the ground-breaking 1970’s film “Five Easy Pieces” were shot on the Mill Bay-Brentwood Bay ferry linking Cowichan to Saanich, Vancouver Island
• The Hollywood blockbuster Godzilla was filmed locally
• 22 episodes of the television series “Spooksville” were shot in Cowichan
• Documentaries for National Geographic and the Discovery Channel have been made here

Forms for Filmmakers

Local and visiting producers filming in the Cowichan region are required to review and complete the following forms:

• Film Cowichan Film Guidelines
• CVRD Film Permit Application 2017
• Film Cowichan Resident Letter Template
• Film Cowichan Worksheet
• Film Cowichan Street Use Request Form