DIDSBURY - Council has approved a new policy designed to promote and support filming in Didsbury, including authorizing administration to permit the use of temporary traffic control devices by film producers.
The move came by way of motion at the Dec. 10 regularly scheduled council meeting, held in person and online.
The policy and governance committee met on Dec. 4 to discuss the policy and expressed a desire to remain flexible and to remove barriers to filming in Didsbury, said committee chair and deputy mayor Curt Engel, who presented the new policy and recommended approval.
The policy contains high-level governance statements to expedite and accommodate the dynamic filming process, he said.
Didsbury has been the site of many filming projects, including feature films and television series.
Filming in Didsbury Policy 012-24 has the stated purpose to “enable flexibility to attract and accommodate filming productions in the town of Didsbury while maintaining clear communication to residents and business owners.”
The policy outlines five general provisions:
• Administration may create administrative policies, procedures, and processes as needed to coordinate activities between film producers and the Town of Didsbury for uses of the public realm. (Public realm is any town-owned and operated property, including parks, streets, sidewalks and boulevards).
• Administration is authorized to utilize the public realm for the purposes of filming as set out in the filming rates and fees bylaw.
• Administration may enter into use agreements and charge fees outlined in the terms of the agreement for the purposes of administrating filming in Didsbury in addition for those outlined in the rates and fees bylaw.
• The CAO may inform and involve council in matters as required.
• Notwithstanding the road closure policy, this policy authorized administration to permit the use of temporary traffic control devices by a film producer.
The policy also states that “upon receipt of a film permit application, council will be notified in a timely manner of relevant information as it pertains to the public realm.”
The policy was approved unanimously.
