Filming in Canmore

If you would like to film (still or motion) in Town of Canmore public spaces for professional or commercial purposes, you require a film permit. Public places include Town of Canmore owned venues, streets, roads, parks, playgrounds, recreation areas, environmental reserves parking lots and pathways within the Town of Canmore's boundaries.

Please Note: Filming at Quarry Lake requires additional permissions.

Application Process

Review the parameters for the film permit type you wish to obtain.

pdf Film Permit Parameters (163 KB) . See application process below.
pdf Annual Film Permit Parameters (1.17 MB) , Application Form and Notice of Scheduling.
pdf Film with UAV Permit Parameters (192 KB) and Application Form. The application form and all supporting documents must be attached to an email as separate files. Do not attach application as one package.

To apply for a regular film permit, submit the following to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Film Permit application form.
A copy of your Town of Canmore Business License or your business license application form. Tip: If you are coming from out of town, submit your temporary Non-Resident business license application form.
Certificate of Insurance (general liability insurance coverage of $2 million, minimum) naming the Town of Canmore as Additional Insured. If your insurance company requires an address, provide them with "Town of Canmore, 902-7th Avenue, Canmore AB T1W 3K1"

The Coordinator will review your application and supporting documents and respond to you with next steps. Please note that processing time can take up to 10 business days, which does not include statutory holidays. Incomplete application packages can significantly impact this processing time.

For all other film permit types, please review the FAQs and parameters for application process and required supporting documents.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of a film permit?

A film permit fee will be applied to all applications. The scale below notes the scheduled fee amounts based on the size of the film project. Location fees may also apply when accessing Town of Canmore lands. All fees are subject to 5% GST.

Film Permit Fee Scale:

Production Crew - 1 to 6 people	per permit	$100
Production Crew - 7 to 15 people	per permit	$200
Production Crew - 16 to 30 people	per permit	$400
Production Crew - 31 to 99 people	per permit	$1,000
Production Crew - 100+ people	per permit	$2,000

Annual Film Permit: $1,200 which covers your film permit needs for the year.

*Fees are subject to change.

Is insurance mandatory?

All film production on Town of Canmore property is required to provide proof of insurance for a minimum of $2 million in liability with the Town of Canmore listed as the additional insured. No production will take place without having provided proof of insurance.

Do I need a business license?

Yes. To obtain a Canmore business license, should you not have one already for the Town of Canmore, visit canmore.ca/businesslicenses to find the application that is right for you. Refer the "Business Licenses" section. Helpful Tip: If you are coming from out of town, apply for a non-resident license. Submit both your business license application with your film permit application to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

What is an Annual Film Permit?

An annual film permit is to facilitate an efficient, cost-effective process for applicants who frequently submit film permit applications over the course of a calendar year. An annual film permit agreement is valid within a given calendar year (January to December), and can be pro-rated on a monthly basis from the month in which an application is received. Annual film permits do not automatically renew, and applied for anew if the application chooses to continue with such a permit in the next calendar year.

For an annual permit to be effective as of January 1st, the application must be submitted, processed, and an agreement signed by all parties by December 15th.

Eligible Businesses:

Digital artists
Graphic design firms
Marketing and communications firms
Professional photographers
Video production companies
Tourism agencies

Eligible Projects:

Projects qualified under the agreement are those scheduled to complete within a single, eight (8) hour day.

Permitted filming hours are Monday to Saturday from 07:00-23:00 and Sunday from 8:00-23:00.

Permission to conduct work outside of these hours will require written permission of the Town of Canmore's CAO or designate. This written request must be submitted the the film permitting Coordinator.

Filming utilizes Town of Canmore property (municipally owned or leased property)

Filming on government or park land must be approved/permitted by the corresponding governing bodies, and copies of approvals must be submitted to the Town of Canmore.

The issuance of an annual film permit does not permit or include any filming to take place by UAV (drone).

Can I film with a drone?

Filming through the use of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV or drone) requires special permissions from the Town of Canmore.

The regulation of drone use is especially important as the Town of Canmore has a vast area of restricted airspace over much of the community. Below is a map that indicates the locations of the two heliports found within our community. pdf Canmore Heliport Drone Exclusion Area Map (436 KB)

Applicants are required to recognize and acknowledge:

As per Transport Canada, an aerodrome of one (1) nautical mile (or 1.9 Kms) is established around both Alpine Helicopters and Canmore General Hospital.
In order to fly in restricted airspace, Transport Canada regulations deem that a pilot is required to have an Advanced Operations Certificate.
The Applicant and the Pilot are to adhere to all transportation Canada legal requirements when operating UAVs.

Please review the Information & Parameters for Film with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Permits guide prior to application submission. This is a set of guidelines for applicants to follow when preparing an application, and a set of procedures to adhere to at the time of a scheduled flight.

Unpermitted UAV flights are subject to fines under Parks Bylaw 2019-09.

Can I film at Quarry Lake?

Yes, with special permission from the Rocky Mountain Heritage Foundation. A letter of request will be sent by the Town of Canmore on behalf of the production company. The Event and Film Permitting Coordinator will need from the Production Company, a detailed explanation of the project, history information regarding successful productions in public spaces, number of incidents (if any), and other information that may strengthen the request for use of this space.

Can I use smoke bombs?

No. Unfortunately, the use of smoke bombs is not permitted as per section 6.3 of the Parks Bylaw since they do or may interfere with the enjoyment of another user of a park or space.