Filming fees

In addition to the required business and electric permit fees, you may be required to purchase additional permits, depending on the nature of your production.

Fee payment

To pay fees, a production must open an account before filming begins and deposit the estimated cost for all City services that will be necessary.

The City of Vancouver accepts:

Certified cheques (drawn on a Canadian bank account)
Money orders
Cash
Wire transfers (call the Film Office for details)

When all filming in the City is complete, the account will closed and the City will issue an invoice or a refund for the balance.

Fire hydrant permit

Access to the City's water system is available through fire hydrants. To use a hydrant, you must have a permit from the Sewer and Water Connections counter (of the City of Vancouver's Engineering department). To receive a Fire Hydrant permit without any confusion or delay, go to the Client Service Centre on the main floor of City Hall with:

A copy of the Backflow Prevention assembly test report (no older than one year) for the Backflow Devices you intend to use
Serial number of each hydrant to be used
Exact location of the hydrants to be used. You may also call ahead to confirm the availability of the hydrants you would like to use

A fire hydrant permit can be applied to a maximum of four hydrants and is valid for two months. When use of the hydrant is no longer required, return the permit and an inspector will examine the hydrant. If the hydrant is not damaged, the deposit will be returned to the production company.

There are two options to pay for a hydrant permit:

Let your Film Coordinator know you will need this permit within your first conversations - all fees will be included in your deposit
Deal directly with the Sewer and Water Connections counter and pay separately.

Learn more about using fire hydrants

Fire hydrant permit fees

Tax not charged on fire hydrant use permits.

You pay the fee when you apply for the permit. You can pay by cash, cheque, credit card or debit card.

	Type A permit fees	Type B permit fees
Permit fee	$150.00	$100.00 per month
Damage deposit	$500.00	$1,000.00

Park filming permit

Refund policy: A minimum notice of 5 working days is required for a refund, minus the equivalent of 4 hours of staffing time (at the posted staff rate). No refunds will be issued if less than 5 working days notice is provided.

Prices do not include tax.

Location and activity	Price
Documentary, student	$38.38
Lunch tent	$270.52
Setup and wrap	$324.10
Neighbourhood parks small productions - Level 1	$159.81
Neighbourhood parks small productions - Level 2	$325.00
Neighbourhood parks large productions - Level 3	$649.10
Destination parks (Stanley Park, major parks and beaches) small productions - Level 1	$212.52
Destination parks small productions - Level 2	$433.95
Destination parks large productions - Level 3	$866.10

Additional charges

Prices do not include tax.

Item or service	Price
Site visitation and monitoring staff time, per hour	$65.24
Security deposit	$2000.00

Park commercial photography

Refund policy: A minimum notice of 5 working days is required for a refund, minus a $25.00 administration fee.

Prices do not include tax.

Photography level	Price
Level 1 - no vans on site, limited props and equipment, and so on	$162.52
Level 2 - props, lighting, 3 hours or more on site	$324.10

Street use permit

If street space is required for parking vehicles, picture continuity, or equipment placement, you must submit a Street Use Request for approval, along with the Film Locations Worksheet. The Vancouver Film Office will then issue Street Use Permits along with a Film Activity Permit. Locations at which street space is occupied or other City services are required will receive at least one Street Use Permit.

Street use permit fee

The number of permits required is based on the amount of street space being used and the types of City services required.

Prices do not include HST

Permit	Price
Street use	$150 per permit

Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services

Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services provide safety equipment and crew as required for the execution of special effects.

Service fees

Prices do not include HST

Service	Price
Fire engine	$110/hour or portion
Officer	$100/hour or portion
Firefighter	$82/hour or portion
Training Classroom	$400/day
Training Academy	$1,500/day

Vancouver Police Department

Police provide traffic control, weapons and vehicular escorts. To book Officers contact the Emergency Operations and Planning section of the Vancouver Police Department at 604-717-3081.

Requests must be received by the Police Department a minimum of 2 working days before the call-out. If the work required is extensive and involves several officers, a supervising Sergeant will be assigned.