In mid-October 2025, picture yourself relaxing on the couch watching a rerun of your favorite 80s sitcom when an advertisement pops up promoting the Countdown to Christmas on the Hallmark Channel or W Network in Canada. Some find this exciting as it signals the holiday season with cozy Christmas movies and hot cocoa, while others consider it overwhelming.
Hallmark Channel films about 40% of its content, including Christmas and year-round programming, in British Columbia, making it a significant industry in the province. Nearly all crew members hired for these movies are locals, with only a few individuals brought in from outside British Columbia, according to Randy Pope, Hallmark Channel’s senior vice president of programming and development.
The economic impact of these productions goes beyond providing jobs for local crews and actors. When a film is shot in British Columbia, the cast and crew contribute to the local economy by spending money on various services and goods such as catering, coffee shops, restaurants, prop shopping, dry-cleaning, and lumber for sets.
The Province’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport highlighted that in 2023, the film and TV industry in British Columbia generated over $2 billion. Additionally, the popularity of Hallmark movies attracts fans who wish to visit filming locations or experience Hallmark-themed attractions.
Martini Studios in Langley, British Columbia, organizes an annual event called Merry & Bright at Martini Town, where visitors can explore a set used in Hallmark productions, providing them with a Hallmark movie experience. This initiative arose in 2023 during industry strikes and the post-COVID-19 uncertainties, catering to Hallmark fans eager to witness the magic behind the scenes.
Moreover, locations like the Jamestown set in Langley, where the popular Hallmark series “When Calls the Heart” is filmed, offer tours for fans when the show is not in production. The City of Maple Ridge promotes a list of holiday movies shot in the area, including Hallmark productions, attracting tourists and film enthusiasts.
With the combination of tourism, job opportunities, and increased local spending associated with filming in British Columbia, the Arts Ministry emphasized the importance of movie-making in the province’s economy. Hallmark’s “movies of the week” are particularly renowned and contribute significantly to British Columbia’s live-action production landscape.