Canada, the home of winter, looks to have no shortage of snowy inns set against fairytale-like landscapes with piles and piles of the white, fluffy stuff.
That’s because Hallmark, long a major producer of Christmas TV movies, shoots a lot of holiday flicks in Canada, even if the plotlines are set south of the border. So do a lot of other U.S. producers for whom British Columbia, Manitoba and Ontario offer real snow, iconic mountains and other varied wintry locations to keep American producers in furry parkas coming north with their cameras and Hollywood stars.
In fact, there’s more to budget-friendly production tricks than fake snow on these TV movie shoots, as humble Canada stands in small-town America strung with colorful lights. Shooting north of the border allows producers to tap generous tax breaks and currency savings, seasoned local actors and crews and ample studios and costume houses — all of which is key when churning out rom-coms on a well-oiled conveyer belt.
So when you curl up for escapism with hot chocolate and binge yuletide rom-coms this Christmas on Hallmark Channel, Lifetime and now Netflix, spare a thought for the wintry Canadian wonderland lighting up your screen.
The Knight Before Christmas, Netflix
This made-in-Canada, time-travel romancer has a medieval knight (Josh Whitehouse) transported to contemporary Ohio. There, he befriends a kind science teacher disillusioned by love, and played by Vanessa Hudgens. Only the TV movie was shot mostly in Orillia and Bracebridge, Ontario. No spoiling whether Sir Cole and Brooke find love, but the Netflix rom-com did find real snow in this Canadian winter wonderland two hours north of Toronto.
Noel Next Door, Hallmark Channel
All those snow banks in Noel Next Door mean one thing: This cheesy enemies-to-lovers romancer about a single mom (Natalie Hall) falling for her grumpy – yet “misunderstood” — neighbor, played by Corey Sevier, was shot in Ottawa, the nation’s capital.
Christmas Connection, Apple TV
Another Hallmark original, this rom-com stars Brooke Burns as Sydney, a flight attendant who teams up with Jonathan, a newspaper columnist played by Tom Everett Scott, to investigate how her late parents first met. Shot in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Christmas Connection seems to have no lack of snow on screen with lots of characters clad in wool and flannels.
Hitched for the Holidays, Amazon Prime Video
Joey Lawrence and Emily Hampshire star in this romancer about an attractive New York couple who meet online and agree to be each other’s fake partner through the holidays to keep their bothersome families at bay. Of course, true love overcomes all. Only this time, Fort Langley, just outside Vancouver, provided the backdrop for the Hallmark original.
Christmas Inheritance, Netflix
To inherit her father’s company, spoiled socialite Ellen Langford, played by Eliza Taylor, must first visit his small hometown, Snow Falls, to deliver a Christmas card to his former business partner. But when a blizzard leaves her stranded in the town inn, she finds unexpected love and the value of hard work and helping others. This rom-com was shot in North Bay, Ontario, and in the spring, so lots of fake snow found its way onto the film set.
Road to Christmas, Apple TV+
Los Angeles TV producer Maggie Baker, played by Jessy Schram, unwittingly falls for Danny Wise, the son and former producer of his mother’s popular annual Christmas special played by Chad Michael Murray. There’s snowman building on screen, but don’t be fooled. Lots of fake snow also abounds in this Hallmark original Christmas love story about rival TV producers.
The Christmas Chronicles, Netflix
When brother and sister Teddy and Kate Pierce hatch a plan to glimpse Santa on Christmas Eve, they end up on an extraordinary adventure instead. After accidentally crashing Santa’s sleigh in Chicago, the kids pull an all-nighter to save Christmas with a straight-talking and affable St. Nick, played by Kurt Russell. The movie, thought set in the Windy City, was actually shot mostly in and around Toronto.
Merry Mystery Christmas, Hallmark Channel
Christmas came early for this holiday rom-com about a rising star reporter having to uncover the identity of a local late-night bandit stealing Rudolf and the reindeers from home Christmas displays in Maine, only to swept off her feet by true love when working with a local detective and Christmas enthusiast. What this St. John’s, Newfoundland-shot movie didn’t have in March was enough real snow. So the producers trucked in the frozen stuff from a local fish plant.
Single All the Way, Netflix
Before he popped in Bros. opposite Billy Eichner, Luke Macfarlane had been a lead in Hallmark movies. The latest includes Netflix’s Single All the Way, which is set in New Hampshire, but was shot in Montreal and elsewhere in wintry Quebec. Perennial single Peter (Michael Urie) convinces a best friend to join him on a family Christmas visit in a pretend relationship. Only once home, Peter’s mother sets him up on a blind date with her trainer, played by Macfarlane.
Christmas Cookies, Hallmark Channel
This holiday flick stars Jill Wagner as a savvy businesswoman looking to buy Aunt Sally’s Cookie Company in upstate New York and move it to Buffalo. Of course, she inadvertently falls in love with Jake, the factory owner (Wes Brown) and the town itself. But in reality, the Canadian town of Squamish just north of Vancouver stood in for upstate New York, to allow production on Christmas Cookies.
