Work permits issued to film crews by Vancouver’s City Hall were up 100% in January (101 film skeds) and February (98), giving a clue as to summer shoot volume. If work orders (required for prepping city streets, police help, filming in parks) continue apace, summer months could see 200 to 300 per. Past big-buck city service tallies include Jumanji at $55,000 and Carpool at $86,000.

While the B.C. Film Commission reports the actual number of productions so far in ’96 hasn’t changed over ’95 numbers, the value of those productions (which would better correlate with City Hall figures), has yet to be calculated.

‘The increase tells me we’re going to have a successful year,’ says b.c. film commissioner Pete Mitchell, ‘and that congestion is going to be an issue earlier than we expected.’ He adds there will be an increased push to spread production outside Vancouver into other parts of b.c.

Vancouver’s Park Board Commission meets March 11 to hear proposals to raise shoot permit fees (for Stanley and other parks and beaches) from $350 a day to $500. As Parks does not provide services (unlike the city), the 40% hike is roundly criticized as a cash grab designed to take advantage of the anticipated boom this summer.