Canada has made a name for itself in the world of TV in recent years, especially with Netflix establishing an office in Toronto, Ontario. Canadian sitcoms and dramas are now just as popular as those created and shot in Los Angeles, giving Canadian talent a chance to shine. When traveling to Toronto, Vancouver, or Canada's east coast, it's worth checking out some of these filming locations.Find out where some of your favorite Canadian TV shows were filmed and discover a few CBC and Netflix series that few people realize are shot in the North.
10 Ginny and Georgia
The comedy genre premiered on Netflix in 2021 and became an instant success. The show centers around teenager Ginny and her free-spirited mother, Georgia, who are attempting to put down roots in a new town, yet again. This time, they are settling in the (fictional) town of Wellsbury.
Season two recently wrapped production, according to the Instagram accounts of lead actors Antonia Gentry and Sara Waisglass. The show films in and around the Greater Toronto Area, including in Cobourg, Ontario. The high school used in the series is the closed secondary school, Nelson A. Boylen Collegiate Institute.
9 Umbrella Academy
Another Netflix hit that is shot in Canada, Umbrella Academy features prominent Canadian talent, including Elliot Page. The show is about a dysfunctional family of adopted siblings who happen to be superheroes. When their father dies mysteriously, they come together to figure out what happened.
Besides shooting in Toronto, parts of the show have also been filmed in surrounding areas like Mississauga, Hamilton, and Oshawa. Season three of the show is set for release in June 2022.
8 The Handmaid’s Tale
The Handmaid’s Tale, a series based on the popular novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood, became an instant fan favorite when it first premiered in April 2017. Torontonians famously saw actors around the city wearing the iconic red cloaks associated with the series during filming, alerting them to the fact that future episodes were on the way. The show is now in its fifth season, set to release sometime in 2022.
7 Cabinet of Curiosities
A monster-infused gem from genius director Guillermo Del Toro, Cabinet of Curiosities is an anthology series based on a short story he wrote. The series is shooting in Toronto, Hamilton, and Millbrook for release on Netflix.
Cast member Rupert Grint was recently reported to have been seen in the GTHA, confirming that this is where filming is taking place.
6 Murdoch Mysteries
Murdoch Mysteries has been airing since 2008 and boasts a whopping 15 seasons to date. The series is based on the novel by Maureen Jennings about a detective named William Murdoch. It’s a period piece, set in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and is set in the city of Toronto.
One of the notable filming locations for the series is in Cobourg, Ontario. The beautiful, majestic building Victoria Hall has been used in various episodes.
5 Riverdale
Riverdale has also been a Netflix fan favorite since 2017 when season 1 aired. The popular series is based on the Archie comics and follows Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead in their teenage years. However, the show has taken on a much more ominous tone than the comics, keeping viewers riveted for 6 seasons.
The show films on Canada’s west coast in Vancouver, British Columbia. The exterior of the high school on the show is Vancouver’s Lord Byng Secondary School. However, some locations, like Pop’s Chocklit Shop, are filmed on a built set at Langley Studio in the parking lot.
4 Workin’ Moms
Workin’ Moms also premiered in 2017 and is a CBC sitcom about four women navigating the challenges of urban motherhood. The creator, writer, and star of the show is Catherine Reitman.
The series is set and films in Toronto, Ontario. Establishing shots for the show are filmed in areas of the city like Cabbagetown, Rosedale, and the Beaches. A significant portion of the shooting takes place in the studios at the Canadian Broadcasting Centre.
3 Schitt’s Creek
It’s no secret that Schitt’s Creek is a Canadian masterpiece, but it’s impossible to talk about Canadian TV shows and not give it a spot on the list. Schitt’s Creek has 6 incredible and hilarious seasons following the Rose family as they navigate their new life, without riches, in the tiny town of Schitt’s Creek.
Created by and starring Dan Levy and Eugene Levy, the show won 9 Emmy awards in 2020. Fans referred to the milestone as a “Schitt’s Sweep” since the show won in almost every category it was nominated. Annie Murphy and Catherine O’Hara round out the talented ensemble.
The show was filmed on location in the town of Goodwood, Ontario which is where Rose Apothecary is found. The hotel venue that served as the Rosebud Motel is located in Mono, Ontario.
2 Anne with an E
Taking things over to the east coast of Canada, Anne with an E is a Canadian television series based on the beloved book Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. The show stars Amybeth McNulty, an Irish-Canadian actress as the iconic redhead, Anne Shirley.
The historical drama ran for three seasons and was filmed primarily on Prince Edward Island. East coast filming took place for exterior shots on the cliffs by the sea to get an authentic feel of the fictional area called Avonlea. However, the farmhouse on the show is located in Pickering, Ontario.
1 Mr. D
Mr. D is a CBC show based on the life of Comedian Gerry Dee, who was a teacher before transitioning to his career in stand-up. The show had eight seasons which filmed on location in eastern Canada. Scenes for the high school in the show were shot at Citadel High School in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The show embraced its Canadian roots, bringing on celebrities like Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, who are Canadian Olympic champions in ice dance.