f i l m i n g i n n o r t h b a y , o n t a r i o

o u r c o m m u n i t y a t a g l a n c e

North Bay is a vibrant city of 54,000 people and has a regional population of 109,000. The

city is centrally located at the junction of highways 11 and 17, is a 3.5 hour drive from

both Toronto and Ottawa and is only an hour’s drive North of Huntsville.

North Bay is well connected by land, air, rail and telecommunication infrastructure. North

Bay’s Jack Garland Airport provides regularly scheduled passenger and air cargo service

to and from the city.

l o c a t i o n d i v e r s i t y

With a number of rural neighbouring communities and nearby access points to Algonquin

Park, urban film sequences can easily be combined within a short distance from

countryside landscapes.

Unique attractions such as the Heritage Railway & Carousel Company and the Chief

Commanda II cruise vessel provide unique seasonal backdrops for filming.

North Bay’s natural environment lends itself to a variety

of four season recreational activities including cross

country and downhill skiing, access to 3,400 km of

groomed snowmobile trails, close proximity to 8 golf

courses, 6 marinas, 42 beaches, 74 park areas and

access to 100+ km of multi -use trails.

Features within city limits include: Duchesnay Falls, the

Laurentian Ski Hill, St. Joseph’s Mother House, 2 large

lakes with uninhibited vistas (Lake Nipissing & Trout

Lake), vacant islands and Otter Lake - a municipally

owned, pristine lake property of 350 acres.

In 1959, construction began on an underground complex in North Bay. Operations of the North

American Aerospace Defense Command took place in what is commonly referred to as “The Hole”

until an above-ground facility was constructed in 2005.

The Hole is a 140,000 sq.-ft., 3-storey office complex located 690 feet underground as a

nuclear-proof facility.

Currently, the facility remains vacant and is maintained by the

Department of National Defense.

North Bay is home to one of only two former Bomarc Missile Sites in

Canada. The 130 acre gated property contains 28 individual missile silos, 2

warehouses and is located at the north end of the City of North Bay.

Doing business in North Bay and area conveniently

combines unique rural landscapes with the benefits

and location options of an urban centre.

Buildings range from historic, century-old heritage sites

like the former North Bay Normal School to modern

multi-million dollar facilities such as the brand new

North Bay Regional Health Centre.

Locally, Nipissing University and Canadore College

offer a variety of full-scale mock rooms including: a

court room, medical rooms, an airport hangar and

many more.

Residential areas include 18th century homes, 50’s

ranch-style neighbourhoods, upscale properties on the

escarpment, lakefront housing and a variety of

condominiums.

a r t s , c u l t u r e & h e r i t a g e

North Bay has a variety of amenities and hosts many

activities that contribute to the community’s cultural

fabric.

Area museums include the original homestead of the

Dionne Quintuplets and the former Canadian Pacific

Railway Station.

The community features numerous art galleries, a 1,000

seat arts centre and a number of historical buildings.

North Bay also borders the Nipissing 10 First Nations

reserve.

t a l e n t p o o l

North Bay takes advantage of the Northern Ontario talent pool to support multimedia

projects. Locally, Nipissing University & Canadore College offer a variety of programs to

support film and digital media productions.

i n f r a s t r u c t u r e

North Bay’s Jack Garland Airport is municipally owned,

has a 10,000 foot runway - one of only 4 in Ontario, and

can accommodate all types of aircraft.

North Bay is at the cross roads of the national fibre

network, supporting various ICT operations including the

North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).

With access to high speed Internet and full cell coverage

from all major carriers, working in remote areas is possible

and convenient.

Fully serviced business parks offer a variety of industrial

and commercial space.

Comprehensive medical services in North Bay are

provided by the new $550 million North Bay Regional

Health Centre.

Originally established as a transportation hub, North Bay

has maintained active rail lines that areaccessible for

filming purposes.

i n c e n t i v e s

■ No film permit fees

■ A Film & Television Production Handbook is available with relevant contact

information and application templates

The Economic Development Department supports productions by:

■ Streamlining all necessary municipal permits and approvals through an established

Project Review Team—includes representatives from relevant municipal departments

■ Assisting with Preliminary location scouting

■ Facilitating local contacts

■ Liaison with community partners

■ Assisting with public funding applications

Funding specific to Northern Ontario:

■ The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation’s Emerging Technology Program

■ The Northern Ontario Media Fund

f a c t s

Land Area: 77 815 acres

Elevation: 646 ft

Average Seasonal Temperatures Average Precipitation

Winter -25 °C May - October 93 mm (rain)

Spring 12 °C November - April 43 cm (snow)

Summer 25 °C

Fall 10 °C

Lakes

Lake Nipissing - has a surface area of more than 21,000 acres and an average depth of

14 ft.

Trout Lake - is long and narrow and approximately 11km long and has an average

depth of 180 ft.

Otter Lake - is a pristine and undeveloped natural area owned by the City of North Bay.

The lake has a total park area of 350 acres and a total lake area of 190 acres.

Region

Neighbouring communities include: Callander, Powassan, Mattawa and West Nipissing.

These communities offer unique production locations and are film friendly.

City of North Bay I Economic Development I Film & Television Division

1.800.465.1882 x 2417

investinnorthbay.ca