• Several iconic sites within the city are not under the jurisdiction of the City of Québec (e.g., the Plains of Abraham)
• A comprehensive list of locations is required with your permit application. This will allow us to direct you to the appropriate resources to obtain the necessary approvals.
• The Interactive map of Québec City shows the ownership of each site.

• Traffic disruptions are not authorized by default. Authorization must be requested in your permit application.

• A full street closure may be authorized on an exceptional basis for the purposes of audiovisual production.
• Requests for street closures must be included in your permit application and submitted within the required timeframe for processing.
• A traffic plan (detour route) will be established and implemented by the City at the production company’s expense.
• The City reserves the right to require police assistance for traffic management, at the production company’s expense, when deemed necessary.

Rules

Full street closures:

• Residents must have 24/7 access to their homes despite the street closure.
• The production team must have staff at closure points to allow access to residents and facilitate local traffic on the closed portion of the street.
• A notice must be distributed by the production team to local residents and businesses to inform them of the closure.

Intermittent street closures:

• Intermittent street closures cannot exceed three minutes. After three minutes, the production team must let all waiting vehicles through before the next intermittent closure.
• Intermittent closures are not permitted during peak hours between 6:30 and 9 a.m. and 3:30 and 6 p.m.
• It is the responsibility of the production team to ensure that there are enough qualified workers at the various intersections to control these types of closures.

Plan your application carefully

• Parking permit requests must be submitted with your filming permit application within the required timeframe for processing.
• A parking permit may only be issued for vehicles with commercial registration. No exceptions will be made for personal vehicles, even when used for production purposes.
• Parking approvals are valid only for the locations and vehicles listed on the parking permit and as agreed to with the City.
• You can obtain permission to use a parking space normally reserved for residents (for example, a zone requiring a parking sticker). However, the City will relocate, at your expense, the same number of spaces used in these zones to parking meters for use by residents of that sector.

“No parking” signs

• “No parking” signs used to reserve spaces for the production team will be delivered, installed, and removed by City employees at the production company’s expense.
• Signs will be put in place at least 48 hours before the parking ban (or on Friday for filming on a Sunday or Monday).
• A cost estimate may be submitted to you for approval prior to the execution of the work (upon request).

Priority regulations

Municipal regulations and road safety rules must be followed at all times unless the filming permit states otherwise.

For example, parking is prohibited at all times:

• In front of fire hydrants
• In bus stop zones
• In areas reserved for emergency vehicles
• In zones where parking restrictions apply (handicapped parking zone, no parking zone, valet parking zone, loading zone, etc.)
• In the opposite direction of traffic

Other rules

• For safety reasons, approaches to all intersections must be kept clear at all times over a minimum distance of 10 feet (3 metres).
• Idling is not permitted for more than three minutes when vehicles are parked.
• Only parking agents and City of Québec police officers may authorize the towing of a vehicle parked in a production area.

If production activities are likely to disturb the peace and quiet or usual activities in the area, you will be required to distribute a notice to area residents and businesses.

You can use your own template or the City’s template. Regardless of the format, the notice must be written in French and approved by the City (allow 1 business day for processing) before it is distributed to residents and businesses at least 3 days prior to the start of production.

Content

The following information must be present and detailed in the notice.

• Locations
• Dates
• Filming times
• Nature of occupancy
• Impacts on area residents and businesses
• Contact details for a production company representative who speaks French and can be reached at any time for information.

In order to maintain good business relationships:

• Before filming takes place on a commercial street, the production must contact representatives of the local business association in order to inform them and secure their support.
• No canteens are allowed on commercial streets.

The production company location manager will ensure that all those involved in the filming behave as guests at all times.

This means that members of the production team must:

• Stay within the areas designated on the permit
• Behave courteously, especially in their dealings with people who are not involved in the production.

Plan ahead. Download, print and distribute the Code of Conduct to each person on your team.

Airspace is a federal jurisdiction, which means that Transport Canada standards and regulations apply and must be respected at all times for drone flights. Regulatory requirements include the obligation to obtain written authorization from the owner of any site, public or private, where a drone takes off and lands.

Approval is therefore required to use property under the jurisdiction of the City of Québec for launching and landing a drone as part of an audiovisual production.

Applications must be submitted by email to the Major Events Office within the required timeframe and must include the following information:

• Exact dates and times of drone flights (including weather contingency dates if applicable)
• Contact information for the drone company and operator
• A plan showing the exact launching and landing locations and the path the drone will take to capture images
• Whether any restrictions on the ground will be required during drone operations and if so, what types  
• The certificate issued by Transport Canada (basic or advanced operation) to the drone operator
• The registration certificate issued by Transport Canada (basic or advanced operation) for the drone
• Proof of $2 million in liability insurance covering drone operations, with the City of Québec as an additional insured.

If the request is approved, a letter of authorization will be issued by the City to the drone operator.

• It is prohibited to remove, move, or alter signage, street furniture or other items belonging to the City of Québec.
• Requests to do so must be submitted with your permit application within the timeframe required for processing.

• Where applicable, please list Ville de Québec in the credits.
• To film on private property, a formal contract must be signed between the production company and the owner(s) clearly describing the production company’s rights and obligations.