Filming & Photography Guidelines

Education Dock at the Ganaraska Forest Ponds

The Perfect Setting

With its forested land, green foliage and colourful fall leaves, the Ganaraska Forest is an ideal location and the perfect backdrop for your next photo shoot.

The Ganaraska Forest is home to 11,000 acres of forested lands and has become a popular filming and commercial photography location for movies, television, commercials, along with engagement and wedding photos.

Filming Guidelines

As stewards of our lands, GRCA carefully considers every potential filming project to ensure it will cause no significant or permanent impact to the ecological and historical integrity of the land under our care.

When a project is permitted to film on our lands, GRCA works closely with the production company throughout the duration of the project to ensure our lands and assets, including our natural and cultural heritage resources, are protected and sustained.

A filming permit is required to use the Ganaraska Forest for commercial photography, film and television shoots.
Please review our GRCA Filming Guidelines and Filming Application to submit your request.

GRCA staff will help you find the perfect location and guide you through the process. Please Contact the GRCA for more information.

Photography In the Ganaraska Forest

The Ganaraska Forest makes for a lush background for your engagement, family, or wedding photos. Photography is allowed, though each individual must purchase a day pass. The GRCA kindly asks that all parties stay on the trails and do not damage, trees, branches, or vegetation to accommodate photos.

Key Benefits

Filming projects may provide both direct and indirect benefits for GRCA and the surrounding communities:

  • Infrastructure Improvements: As part of every filming agreement, the production company confirms that it will leave all areas and resources in the same condition they were prior to production. In many cases, they fund site improvements that would not be otherwise feasible.
  • Source of Revenue Generation: Revenues from filming productions directly support the conservation authority and its programs.
  • Increased Tourism: Fans of productions that take place on GRCA’s lands often visit the site just to see where filming took place, providing them with the opportunity to enjoy nature and re-enact their favourite scenes.
  • Local Economy and Industry Support: Filming contributes to the local economy in the surrounding communities and supports the Canadian film industry.