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Picture it: mid-October, 2025. You\u2019re splayed out on the couch, casually enjoying a re-run of your favourite 80s sitcom on cable television when an ad appears promoting the Countdown to Christmas on the Hallmark Channel, or W Network here in Canada.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
For some, it sparks excitement \u2014 the holidays are approaching, and the season is not complete without sipping hot cocoa while watching a selection of cozy Christmas movies. For others, that 24-hour rotation of Christmas cheer is a living nightmare.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Love it or hate it though, Hallmark movies are big business in B.C., where the company films the about 40 per cent of its content \u2014 Christmas and year-round programming.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Hallmark films in B.C., it hires almost exclusively local workers to make it happen. The province estimates about 100 local crew members are hired for each movie.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Hundreds of local film crew members are hired for each Hallmark movie made in B.C. (Tina Lovgreen\/CBC)<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the most part, it\u2019s one or two people from outside B.C. that we\u2019ll bring up,\u201d said Randy Pope, senior vice president of programming and development for Hallmark Channel.<\/p>\n
Of course, any film production in B.C. means jobs for local crews and actors. But the impact these movies have on the economy is far more wide-reaching than that.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When a production comes to town, the cast and crew spend money on catering, in local coffee shops, at restaurants, shopping for props in local boutiques, getting dry-cleaning done, buying lumber for sets \u2014 the list goes on.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s so much more money spent beyond what you would think in a film production,\u201d said Gemma Martini, founder and CEO of Martini Studios \u2014 a Langley-based production facility often used by Hallmark Media, among other companies.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And when Hallmark is making dozens upon dozens of films in B.C. each year, that injection of cash into the local economy adds up.<\/p>\n
In an emailed statement to CBC News, the province’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport said that while it couldn\u2019t drill down exactly how much Hallmark alone contributes to B.C.\u2019s economy, the film and TV industry overall generated more than $2 billion in 2023.<\/p>\n
Hallmark tourism brings viewers to B.C.<\/p>\n
The growing popularity of Hallmark movies sparks interest from fans who want to see spots where things were shot, or immerse themselves in Hallmark-like attractions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Martini Studios hosts an annual event called Merry & Bright at Martini Town, where people can visit a \u201cmeticulously\u201d constructed set \u2014 one that\u2019s used for Hallmark productions \u2014 and feel like they\u2019re in an actual Hallmark movie.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s pretty amazing and incredible that [Hallmark has] this fan base,\u201d Martini said.<\/p>\n
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Martini Studios is pictured in Langley, B.C., on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (Ben Nelms\/CBC)<\/p>\n
The event started in 2023 amid industry strikes and uncertainty after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. When Martini noticed contractors on-site taking photos and asking questions about the set, she realized there was a market for people who love Hallmark and want to see the places where films are made.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSome, they come because it\u2019s an opportunity to bring their family, have a nice Christmas experience outside,\u201d Martini said. \u201cFor some people, they come because they want some amazing photos for their Christmas card and some people come because they have curiosity around being on a film set.\u201d<\/p>\n
Similarly, the Jamestown set<\/a> in Langley, where popular Hallmark series When Calls the Heart is made, offers tours<\/a> for fans when the show isn\u2019t filming.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1766760309_642_default.jpg\")
Kevin McGarry and Erin Krakow are pictured in When Calls the Heart, filmed in B.C. for many years. (Hallmark Media)<\/p>\n