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: that filming at Quarry Lake requires additional permissions.

Application Process

Select the type of film permit that you are looking to obtain
Download the application form (see Documents and Forms below)
Email the completed form to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Event and Film Permitting Coordinator will review your application and supporting documents and will respond to you within two business days

Frequently Asked Questions

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. Production companies that reside in Canmore must provide a copy of their business license. Production companies that wish to conduct their business (i.e. filming) within the Town of Canmore are required to apply for a temporary business license for the duration of production. The application form is available in the documents library below. Please complete and submit to the Film Permitting Coordinator (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 now available 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).

All new agreements must be confirmed and signed off by all parties by Dec. 15in order to schedule any filming on January 1^st of the new year. Pro-rated annual permit certificates will be issued for those applications received after January.

Businesses types that could apply for an annual film permit:

Digital Artists
Graphic Design firms
Marketing & Communication firms
Professional Photographers (portrait, wedding and commercial)
Video Production Companies
Tourism Agencies

Applicable 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 08:00 - 23:00.
Permission to conduct work at times outside of these hours will require the written permission of the Town of Canmore's CAO or designate.
Filming utilizes Town of Canmore property (municipally owned or leased property).
Filming on government or parks 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.

What fees are associated with 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.

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