Key takeaways
- Reel Green (British Columbia, through Creative BC) and Ontario Green Screen (Ontario, through Ontario Creates' film commission) are the two main provincial programs helping productions reduce their environmental impact.
- On most productions, the biggest footprint comes from fuel — generators and vehicles — followed by travel, waste and studio energy.
- Practical wins include battery and grid power, anti-idling rules, reusable set materials, refill stations and sorted waste streams.
- Suppliers who can document greener options — and provide data for carbon reports — have a growing advantage.
Film and television productions are temporary cities. They power lights, move people and equipment, build and demolish sets, feed hundreds of people a day and generate mountains of material — often for a few weeks at a time. Multiplied across the dozens of productions working in British Columbia and Ontario in a busy year, that adds up to a significant environmental footprint.
The good news is that Canada's production centres have spent years building tools, programs and supplier networks to shrink that footprint. This guide explains the two provincial programs most productions encounter, where emissions really come from, and the practical steps productions and suppliers are taking right now.
The provincial programs
Reel Green (British Columbia)
Reel Green is British Columbia's long-running initiative for sustainable production, delivered through Creative BC with industry partners. It provides productions with guides, training, best-practice resources and tools for measuring emissions, and it works with unions, guilds and suppliers to make greener options easier to find. Over the years Reel Green has published multi-year plans to move the industry toward lower-carbon production, with a strong focus on clean power and waste reduction.
Ontario Green Screen (Ontario)
Ontario Green Screen is the Ontario Film Commission's sustainability initiative at Ontario Creates, developed with industry partners. It offers resources and guidance to help productions in Ontario measure and reduce their environmental impact, and it encourages collaboration between productions, studios, unions and suppliers.
Many municipalities also have their own green production guidance. The City of Coquitlam, for example, publishes advice for green productions filming there, and the international Green Production Guide maintains a list of programs worldwide.
Where production emissions come from
Every production is different, but carbon reports from productions around the world tend to show the same pattern. The big categories are:
| Category | What drives it | Typical levers |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel for power | Diesel generators on location and for unit bases | Battery units, hybrid generators, grid tie-ins, right-sizing, renewable diesel |
| Fuel for vehicles | Trucks, vans, cast and crew transport, idling | Anti-idling policies, electric and hybrid vehicles, route planning, shuttles |
| Travel | Flights and accommodation for cast, crew and executives | Hiring locally, fewer scout trips, remote reviews |
| Studio energy | Lighting, HVAC, offices and stages | LED fixtures, efficient stages, renewable electricity |
| Materials and waste | Set construction, single-use items, food waste | Reuse, rental, donation, sorted waste streams, composting |
Clean power on set
Diesel generators are the single most visible source of emissions — and of noise and fumes that neighbours notice. Both provinces have strong electricity grids with a high share of low-carbon generation, which makes grid power an attractive alternative where it is available.
- Battery power units can run base camps, video village, catering and many lighting set-ups quietly and with zero local emissions.
- Hybrid systems pair a smaller generator with batteries, so the engine runs only when needed.
- Grid tie-ins at studios, unit bases and frequently used locations eliminate generators altogether for parts of the day.
- LED lighting dramatically reduces the power a set needs, which in turn makes batteries viable.
- Right-sizing — matching generator size to the actual load — reduces fuel burn even when diesel is unavoidable.
Transport and idling
Vehicles are the second big lever. Toronto's filming guidelines state that production vehicles are not permitted to idle at any time, and anti-idling is a common expectation across municipalities. Beyond idling rules, productions are:
- Adding electric and hybrid passenger vans and cars to fleets where charging is available.
- Running crew shuttles from central parking rather than having dozens of personal vehicles drive to location.
- Planning company moves to reduce mileage and consolidating deliveries.
Sets, materials and waste
Set construction can generate large volumes of lumber, foam, paint and hardware waste. Leading productions are:
- Designing sets to be modular and reusable, and storing flats and platforms for future shows.
- Renting and buying from prop houses and second-hand sources rather than buying new.
- Choosing low-VOC paints and avoiding hard-to-recycle materials where possible.
- Donating furniture, building materials and costumes at wrap to community organisations and reuse centres.
- Booking waste haulers who can provide sorted streams and diversion reports for the production's records.
Food, water and craft services
Catering is a daily opportunity to cut waste:
- Refill stations and reusable bottles instead of single-use plastic water bottles.
- Reusable or compostable serviceware, with clearly labelled bins.
- Accurate meal counts and a plan to donate surplus food safely to local food recovery organisations.
- More plant-based options, which typically have a lower footprint and are increasingly popular with crews.
Measure, then improve
Most sustainability programs encourage productions to use a carbon calculator throughout production, not just at wrap. Measuring early shows where the biggest opportunities are — usually fuel — and builds a baseline for the next season. To make measurement possible, productions need data from suppliers: litres of fuel delivered, kilowatt-hours supplied by battery units, kilograms of waste diverted. Suppliers who can provide this data easily are becoming preferred suppliers.
Building an eco team
Many larger productions now appoint an eco manager or sustainability coordinator, sometimes supported by eco production assistants on set. Their job is to set targets, brief departments, work with suppliers on greener options, track data and report results. Even on a small production, naming one person responsible for sustainability makes a real difference.
What this means for suppliers
Sustainability is moving from "nice to have" to a factor in purchasing decisions. To stay competitive:
- Offer at least one greener option in your category and explain it clearly.
- Be ready to report data — fuel, power, waste diversion — in a simple format.
- Highlight local sourcing and short delivery distances.
- Join provincial sustainability supplier lists where they exist.
- Tell your story: a sponsored feature or case study can show productions how you help them hit their goals.
A quick-start plan for your next production
- Name a sustainability lead during prep.
- Set three measurable goals (for example: battery power for base camp, no single-use water bottles, 75% waste diversion).
- Brief department heads and include sustainability in supplier conversations.
- Book battery/hybrid power and sorted waste services early.
- Track data weekly and share progress with the crew.
- At wrap, donate materials, compile your report and share lessons with the next production.
Frequently asked questions
Is sustainable production more expensive?
Some options cost more up front, but many save money — less fuel, less waste hauling, fewer single-use purchases. Planning early is what keeps costs under control.
Can battery power run a whole set?
For many set-ups, especially with LED lighting, yes. High-load situations may still need hybrid systems or generators, but batteries can cover base camp and much of the day.
Where can I find green suppliers?
Check Reel Green and Ontario Green Screen resources, browse our BC and Ontario directories, or ask our sourcing concierge to shortlist suppliers with greener options.
Sources and further reading
- Creative BC / Reel Green — creativebc.com
- Ontario Creates — Ontario Green Screen: About Us — ontariocreates.ca
- Green Production Guide — International green production programs — greenproductionguide.com
- City of Coquitlam — Green Productions — coquitlam.ca
- City of Toronto — Guidelines for Filming in Toronto (anti-idling) — toronto.ca
