Tourism North Bay is looking at the possibility of offering tours to vacant movie sets as a possible tourist attraction for the region.
The idea was rolled out during the Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO) regional conference in North Bay where the film industry was the hot topic.
Tanya Bedard, who worked closely during the early film industry boom in North Bay, is now the Executive Director of Tourism North Bay.
She feels movie set tours make sense.
"So tourism North Bay and the city of North Bay are working together, and have for quite some time, on building the tourism aspect and merging the film and television industry and really trying to enhance that experience for our visitors," explained Bedard.
"So based on the Driftscape App that was launched earlier this month, we are working with the city's economic development department on providing some self-guided walking tours for our visitors to be able to go to previous filming locations and experience and learn more about which productions those were involved in, learn a little bit more about the history."
Driftscape is a digital storytelling platform allowing visitors to discover North Bay by browsing local attractions, self-guided tours, and upcoming events.
"A lot of the sites are downtown so this is an opportunity for visitors to be able to download the app for free and take advantage of film and TV walking tours," she said.
"So self-guided walking tours that would again provide an opportunity to visit previous filming locations of the various film and television productions that have filmed here in North Bay."
See related: North Bay shares secrets of film success at EDCO conference
See related: One-of-a-kind Western set created in Powassan
Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli has been a key supporter of the film industry in the North Bay area. He is a supporter of the movie set tour concept.
He would like to see the western town of "Brookfield" located on a secluded farm near Powassan to be part of those tours.
"The series 'When Calls the Heart' has a spin-off called 'When Hope Calls,' and it's filmed here in Powassan," explained Fedeli about the mini western town which was built in 2019.
"It is a beautiful, full western town built in Powassan. Anybody would love to see that," Fedeli stated.
"Because it's so exciting to see a movie set, a western movie set. But for the people who follow 'When Calls the Heart' they call themselves 'Hearties.' For 'Hearties' to be able to come to where their favourite TV production is being filmed would be a great tourism event, whether it can be done or not, and whether it's practical to do or not, there's a whole other story.
"Wouldn't it be great to have film tourism added to the revenue that we get in the area?"
