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Council OKs registering downtown Sechelt in B.C. filming location library

District of Sechelt councillors have given the go ahead for staff to register a handful of spaces and places in the municipality as potential shooting locations for the film industry.
Sechelt
Cowrie Street in downtown Sechelt.

District of Sechelt councillors have given the go ahead for staff to register a handful of spaces and places in the municipality as potential shooting locations for the film industry. 

Staff recommended Rockwood Lodge and Festival Pavilion, Seaside Centre, Mission House and downtown Sechelt be registered in the Creative BC Locations Library.

The library is maintained and administered by Creative BC and funded by the province, used to market B.C. as a film destination. It has more than 21,000 locations on file.

A staff report recommended moving ahead with the registration, citing economic benefits for businesses serving production crews and employment opportunities.

After some discussion, councillors voted unanimously in favour of the recommendation at a Jan. 20 regular council meeting.

To register, photos of the locations would have to be submitted, and any proposed projects would have to come before council for approval.

While it’s free to register with Creative BC Locations Library, the report noted that filming can come with a cost to the community.

“Merchants are often concerned about the effect the work might have on their businesses,” said the staff report, adding that according to Creative BC Locations’ website, “if a business believes that a location shoot has resulted in lost business, and there is no separate deal with the producer, a loss of business claim should be submitted to the film production company’s location manager.”

Additionally, parking issues, noise and traffic congestion “can cause substantial strain for other residents and businesses,” said the report, adding district staff “will work with any production company to reduce impacts on businesses and residents.”

A policy and a film permit application for filming within the district will be established as part of the process, said staff.

“This will be designed to encourage successful filming in Sechelt and it will also showcase our beautiful location and our small town atmosphere, ensuring to portray a positive image for Sechelt,” said community services coordinator Lucy Clark at the meeting.

She added the policy would ensure project proposals that include filming in public areas are vetted by council prior to approval and staff would also look at updating its fees and charges bylaw to include application fees and deposit fees for filming.

Coun. Eric Scott asked if site usage fees would also be charged.

Clark said staff would be looking at charging, but don’t have an established amount.

Coun. Alton Toth asked for more specifics on what defines “downtown Sechelt.”

Communications manager Julie Rogers said the district would have no authority to lease private property. “We are not attempting in any way to solicit business for specific businesses,” she said.

Coun. Matt McLean said filming can be “highly disruptive.”

“It’s a really neat thing to do, but at the same time, it needs to be managed, and I want to make sure we have those policies established and fees established well in advance.”

Rogers agreed there could be a range of proposals, from a two-day shoot at Rockwood Lodge to a major production requiring a month-long closure of Cowrie Street.

“Either one of those should come back before council, and a future policy – which you will approve – would state that council will approve every single production,” she said.