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Filming in Elgin

A camera recording a person holding a clapperboard open

Lights. Camera. Elgin!

Located midpoint between Toronto, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan. Elgin County comprises seven local municipalities on Lake Erie’s shorelines in Ontario’s Southwest.

Elgin County’s versatile landscape features beach towns, historical downtowns, heritage buildings, rural settings, small-town vibes, vast green spaces, and agricultural areas. With so many great locations and backdrops, we encourage you to explore its wonders.

Get started by applying for your Film Permit today! If you have any questions about filming in Elgin County, please contact filming@elgin.ca.

About

Elgin County consists of seven Municipalities: Aylmer, Bayham, Central Elgin, Dutton-Dunwich, Malahide, Southwold, and West Elgin. Located in Ontario’s Southwest, we are fortunate to experience and appreciate a true four seasons each year. Our small-town charm and vibe are what make us unique. From the farmer’s fields to sandy beaches, from lift bridges to lighthouses, we’ve got you covered.

With classic main streets, agricultural areas, beaches, proximity to London, Ontario, and being bookended by Chatham-Kent and Brantford, we have lots to offer and even more to discover.

The small towns and villages in Elgin County, such as Sparta, Aylmer, and Dutton, offer various historical buildings, time periods, and unique structural designs. Beach towns such as Port Stanley and Port Burwell showcase our small-town coastal charm and can be turned into the location you may be looking for.

We consider ourselves versatile, adaptive, and accommodating to the film industry. Get ready to say… Lights. Camera. ELGIN!

Film Permits and Documentation

Complete Film Permit

Supporting Documentation
Release and Indemnity Agreement
Code of Conduct
Letter of Notification

Film History

From Bette Midler to Jason Momoa, many film and television stars have hit the screen with Elgin County as the backdrop. We have a well-rounded history of being represented on the big screen:

YearLocationTitleTypeProduction
1988Port BurwellFriday the 13th – The Pirates PromiseTV SeriesParamount Pictures
1997Wallacetown, St. Peter’s ChurchThe Old FeelingFeature FilmUniversal Pictures
2008Port Stanley, King George Lift bridgeAdidasCommercialJKF Productions
2010Port StanleyFairfield RoadTV SeriesHallmark Films
2015Elgin County Archives/Port StanleyColdFeature FilmNew Form Media
2016Port StanleyTakenTV SeriesNBC
2019St. Thomas Psychiatric HospitalThe BoysTV SeriesAmazon Prime
2019St. Thomas Psychiatric HospitalScary Stories to Tell in the DarkFeature FilmCBS Films
2020St. Thomas Psychiatric HospitalSeeTV SeriesApple TV
2020Port StanleyLocke & KeyTV SeriesNetflix
2020Port StanleyStill StandingTV SeriesCBC

Local Sourcing

Elgin County encourages supporting local businesses and services during productions. These include catering, hardware/lumber supplies, and casual employment. We can help connect applicants with the required suppliers.

FAQ

Elgin County only issues permits for public spaces. Interested productions must contact private property owners in order to gain permission to film on site. If filming on private property significantly impacts public property, a film permit may be required.

Applicants must submit the following documents along with the Film Permit Application:

  1. Certificate of Insurance
  2. Code of Conduct
  3. Letters of Notification
  4. Signed Release and Indemnity Agreement

As a business owner or resident, you may experience some temporary disruptions from filming in your neighbourhood. These may include street parking, traffic stoppages, sidewalk and road closures, or background noise.

Residents should direct questions about film productions in their community to the production company listed on the notification letter. Your local municipality and/or the Elgin County Economic Development and Tourism Department is always available to answer general questions about the film and television production process in Elgin County.

For questions about filming in Elgin County or about the permit process, contact filming@elgin.ca.

Film Here!

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Beach Towns

A photo of two boats passing each other at the entrance to Lake Erie at Port Bruce.
An aerial photo looking over the town of Port Burwell out to Lake Erie.
A photo of a white and red lighthouse.
A photo of a row of beach-front houses from a distance, there are people on the beach and out-of-focus grass at the bottom of the photo.
A photo of the life bridge in Port Stanley in the process of lifting to allow sail boats to pass below it.
A photo of the Port Stanley Pier looking toward Lake Erie.
A photo of two kids holding hands walking away between 2 historic train cars.
A photo looking down a boardwalk with railings through trees looking towards Lake Erie.
A photo of a Tall Ship with passengers and anchored fishing boats in the port in Port Stanley.
A photo of a building.
A photo of the Welcome to Port Bruce sign.
A photo of white and red boats on grass.
A photo of the Port Glasgow Marina and Yacht Club sign.
A photo of boats docked in the Port Glasgow Marina, with a person standing looking at them.
A photo of the beach and a row of beach-front houses from the water in Port Stanley.
A photo of two uniformed men standing at the engine of an historic train.
A photo of a wooden sculpture depicting a sailor at the helm.
A photo of the sun setting over the trees and the beach at Port Stanley.
An aerial photo of Port Stanley beach at sunset.
A photo of people in the water swimming and paddleboarding at Port Stanley.
A photo of people in the water and on the beach at Port Stanley.
An aerial photo of people in the water and on the beach at Port Stanley.
An aerial photo of people in the water and on the beach at Port Stanley with beach-front houses in the background.
An aerial photo of the beach at Port Stanley, looking back toward the town.

Downtowns & Villages

A photo of a building covered in ivy in downtown Aylmer.
A photo looking down a main street.
A photo of older buildings with store fronts.
A photo of a main street with the buildings and historic street lamps.
A photo of shops in downtown Aylmer.
A photo of a row of store fronts in historic buildings in downtown Aylmer.
A photo of different historic buildings in downtown Aylmer with various store fronts.
A photo of a historic building in downtown Aylmer.
A photo of businesses in Port Stanley.
A photo of a fish themed sign in Port Stanley.

Heritage & Historical Settings

A close up photo of the Town Hall Aylmer sign with the building behind it.
A photo of the Aylmer Town Hall building from the side street.
A photo of the Aylmer Town Hall building from the street.
A photo of the side of the old town hall building in Aylmer.
A photo of the front of the old town town building in Aylmer.
A photo of buildings at the Backus Page House Museum.
A photo of one of the buildings at the Backus Page House Museum.
A ohoto of the barn at the Backus Page House Museum.
A photo of the Elgin County Administrative Building.
A photo of a church and the cemetery that surrounds it.
A photo of the front of a church, angled up to see the entire façade.
A photo of the Dairy Heritage Museum building surrounded by trees.
A photo of a white church with a steeple.
A photo of a tree with the sun streaming through from the other side.
A photo of a historic building in Sparta with a red store front.
A photo of a thin white church.
A photo of a white church with a green roof.
A closer photo of the side of a church with a red door.
A photo of the red door that is the entrance to a church.
An interior photo of a church with wooden pews and stained glass windows.
A photo of the stone archway entryway into a cemetery.
A photo of a small building with the sign Ye Olde Jail 1890 on it.

Rural Areas

A photo of a rural road with a town sign adorned with Canadian flags on the side o the road.
A photo of a bridge over a creek with trees.
A photo of a laneway to a farm, with a barn in the distance and a wooden fence on the left of the road.
A photo of crops in the foreground with a barn and trees in the distance.
A barn with a quilt mural on it.
A barn with a quilt mural on it.
A barn with a quilt mural on it.
A barn with a quilt mural on it.
A barn with a quilt mural on it.
A close up of a handwritten sign advertising fresh eggs in front of a field of crops.
A round wooden sculpture amoung trees.
A log cabin style building in the trees.
A white house with trees around it.
A stone monument in front of a field of crops.
An aerial view of a field with two different crops growing.
An aerial view of a plowed farmers field with a setting sun.
A view across a field with crops.
A view across a field with crops and a plowed field beyond.
An aerial view of a crop field with a maze paths laid out.
A top down view of a corn maze.
A close up aerial view of a corn maze.
A view across trees and farmers fields at sunset.