We are thrilled to support and welcome commercial filming in all seven Municipalities that call Wellington County home. Our vibrant and rural communities have deep heritage, strong culture, and are located in close proximity to urban amenities and major cities.
Wellington County is home to:
Historic villages, buildings, and homes with small town charm.
Expansive rural landscapes offering 360 degree views of stunning scenery and green spaces.
Craft breweries, cideries, wineries and distilleries providing ample opportunity to sip and savour.
...and more!
The County of Wellington recognizes the direct and indirect economic and cultural benefits that the commercial film and television industry provides throughout our communities. We support and encourage filmmakers to visit and immerse themselves in our beautiful, historic downtowns, rivers and gorges, trail network, bridges and our welcoming communities.
Promoting and highlighting Wellington County communities as well as building long-lasting, strong partnerships through film production is important to us.
Road Closures On a County of Wellington road: Contact the Roads Division at 519.837.2601 or email, and fill out a Special Event Permit. On a Municipal road: Please reach out directly to the corresponding township. Contact information can be found below.
Filming at a place of Business Please liaise directly with the business or property owner for which you are interested in. Visit our Business Directory for more information.
Municipal, Township or City property Please reach out directly to the corresponding township/city. Contact information can be found below.
Filming at Wellington Place (including the Wellington County Museum and Archives) Please review the Commercial Film Permit Package and fill out an application. For additional information, please send us email. View the Film Permit Policy.
Municipal/Township and City contacts for Filming
Municipality
Contact
Township of Centre Wellington
Joao Carrolo Elora & Fergus Tourism and Destination Development Coordinator 519.846.9691 x 380 Email
We have chosen to highlight some helpful resources, supports, and organizations pertaining to Ontario below for members of commercial film productions.
Wellington Creates is a network of creatives and economic leaders bringing film, music and television productions to Wellington County, Ontario, Canada.
Alliance of Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) represents over 28,000 professional performers across Canada working in the English-language recorded media sector. Our members help bring Canadian stories to life in film, television and digital media.
Academy of Canadian Film & Television is the largest non-profit professional media arts organization in Canada. With a membership of more than 4,000 emerging and established industry professions, we are dedicated to developing, recognizing, celebrating, and advocating for Canadian talent in the film, television, and digital media sectors.
Canadian Film Centre's uniquely designed core programs include The Norman Jewison Film Program, the Bell Media Prime Time TV Program, the CBC Actors Conservatory and the Slaight Music Residency. These are intensive, professional and practical programs guided by industry experts. Each one is tailored to the unique needs of the creatives, and equips residents with skills, tools, mentorship and networking opportunities to build long and sustainable careers in the international screen industry.
CFC's core programs support and empower Canadian artists and creators and generate world-class talent, content, partnerships and companies for the global marketplace.
Directors Guild of Canada - Ontario Council (DGC) is a national labour organization that represents over 5,500 key creative and logistical personnel in the screen-based industry covering all areas of direction, design, production and editing. The DGC negotiates and administers collective agreements and lobbies extensively on issues of concern for members including Canadian content conditions, CRTC regulations and ensuring that funding is maintained for Canadian film & television programming.
FilmOntario was founded in 2003, FilmOntario is a not-for-profit non-partisan industry consortium with members from all parts of the province’s screen-based industry, including unions, guilds, producers, studios, equipment suppliers, and financial and legal services companies. We advocate on behalf of the industry to all levels of government and promote Ontario as a leading production jurisdiction.
NABET 700-M UNIFOR is a union of film, television and new media technicians that has serviced the Southern Ontario for over 45 years.
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts (I.A.T.S.E.) represents workers in different crafts, who are mostly employed in motion picture and television production. IATSE has three different unions:
I.A.T.S.E. Local 411 represents production coordinators, assistant coordinators, production secretaries, craft service providers, and honey wagon operators.
I.A.T.S.E. Local 667 International Cinematographers Guild represents the camera crews and unit publicists who work on all forms of motion picture production, as well as personnel in several television stations.
The County of Wellington recognizes the value of the film industry, its associated activities and its economic impact in Wellington County. All film activity within County buildings or on County properties must be reported and coordinated through the Wellington County Museum and Archives office. The County endeavours to create an efficient process for the film industry while balancing the safety and convenience for residents. The County will issue permits for approved filming projects.
Fee for film production on County of Wellington property:
Permit Fee: $500.00 +HST
Security Deposit: $3,000.00 for 1-3 days (Add $1,000 for each additional day)
This deposit shall not be returned until all invoices, charges and claims have been cleared. Any structures, grounds, landscape features or artifacts damaged as a result of the activities of the film production will be restored to the condition that existed prior to the occurrence of the damage to the County of Wellington's sole satisfaction. Where damage has occurred, a letter detailing the extent and cost of repair or restoration will be sent to the Applicant and a request for payment will be made. The Applicant may prefer to pay for the damages outlined in the letter, the certified security deposit cheque will be cashed and the subsequent repair undertaken by specialists supervised by the site. Any monies owing or remaining from the security deposit cheque will be processed accordingly. Where this is not possible, the County of Wellington will be compensated. Appraisals and restoration work will only be undertaken by specialists approved by the site supervisor. The Applicant and the Applicant's Insurer, should be aware that some subject properties are historic sites, in some cases National Historic Sites, and are subject to a higher standard of care and preservation than may normally be the case.
Additional Fees for film production specifically at The Wellington County Museum and Archives:
Booking hold fee: $200 Per day + HST
Filming Rates/Fees: $500/Hour* + HST. OR $3,500 + HST. Per day, based on an 8 Hour Day. *inclusive of $200/hr staffing fees.
The County reserves the right to act with discretion of the fees in accordance with the scope, crew size, and resources required from the County.
Additional fees will be incurred should the closure of the Wellington County Museum and Archives Historic Site will be required for the Applicant. As well, additional fees may be incurred at the discretion of the Wellington County Museum and Archives for the rental of halls or the need for additional staffing or resources. Due to the popularity of the site, a booking hold fee of $200 will be required upon booking. Fees for additional days/hours will be invoiced and are due no later than two weeks from when the final invoice is received. The booking fee will be reflected in the final invoice.
All Applicants are required to complete a Commercial Film Permit Application Package prior to being granted permission to film on County of Wellington owned and operated property as well as buildings.
The Commercial Film Permit Application Package contains the following documents:
Corporation of the County of Wellington Commercial Film Permit Application
Corporation of the County of Wellington Commercial Film Permit Application – Hold Harmless Agreement
Corporation of the County of Wellington Commercial Film Permit Application –Responsibilities of the Film Company Authorization Page
Commercial Film Permit Application Schedule of Fees
Notification Letter Template
Notification Letter Checklist
Please submitted your completed application package as soon as possible by email.
Commercial Film Production at the Wellington County Museum and Archives (WCMA) offers a unique, grand, and gorgeous backdrop. Our unique natural surroundings and historically significant buildings are perched on the banks of the Grand River Watershed at the County's Wellington Place Campus, a former working farm.
The Wellington County Museum and Archives known to locals as 'The Poor House' was the County of Wellington's former House of Industry and Refuge from 1877-1947 before being converted into a Home for the Age, and later our present-day culture and heritage hub known as Wellington Place Campus. Our National Historic Site, including its gardens, trails, Heritage-Designated Barn, paddock. and functioning chicken coop, are carefully preserved to this day. These unique and timeless features are steeped in history. Our Wellington County Museum and Archives team upholds the responsibility to serve, support, as well as meaningfully engage with our community and visitors - from near and far.
This unique historic site neighbours the Elora Cataract Trail-Way, a heritage railroad transportation route featuring the Trestle Bridge pedestrian crossing, as well as the Elora Quarry Conservation Area with its incredible limestone cliffs and mesmerizing, clear turquoise tinted waters. The Wellington County Museum is located in Aboyne, ON. The hamlet of Aboyne is nestled between the celebrated villages of Fergus and Elora, ON.
Please review Schedule C (Page 8 - 10) of the County of Wellington Commercial Film Permit Policy for detailed guidelines of commercial filming at the Wellington County Museum and Archives.
