Hallmark Crew Back In Manotick To Film Another Christmas Movie

‘Puppies Everywhere, All the Time’ filming in Manotick, Riverside South

The Village of Manotick is not exactly Hollywood, but it is once again the site of filming for a Hallmark made-for-TV movie.

‘Puppies Everywhere, All the Time’ is the working title of the Hallmark movie that is currently being shot in and around Manotick. It comes on the heels of Hallmark’s Candy Cane Lane, which was shot in the village before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new flick has been shot at various spots in the village, as well as at Claudette Cain Park in Riverside South next to the Vimy Bridge.

According to Ottawa Film Commissioner Sandrine Pechels de Saint Sardos, there have been nine Christmas movies shot in Ottawa. The movies are A Royal Christmas Crush, Christmas by Design [2022], Catch me if you Claus, Laughing all the Way, A Christmas Serenade, Yes, Chef! Christmas, An Ice Palace Romance, The Christmas Detective, and Christmas Revisited.

The movies appear primarily on the Hallmark Channel, OWN and Lifetime. Pachels de Saint Sardos said that 26 live-action feature-length films and nine television series have been locally-shot in 2023 to-date.

Riverside South-Findlay Creek Councillor Steve Desroches posted pictures of the production trucks at Claudette Cain Park on the X platform.

“Neat to see film production underway at Claudette Cain Park in Riverside South,” he wrote. “(I love the) working name ‘Puppies Everywhere, All the Time’ – so important for economic development and why draft 2024 city budget bolsters funding to attract more local film action – Super de voir!”

Tourism Ottawa says that the photogenic community of Manotick attracts filmmakers with scenic backdrops such as Watson’s Mill on the Rideau River. Various shops and restaurants appeared in Candy Cane Christmas, including Terra Plants and Flowers, Black Dog Bistro and 692 Coffee and Bar. Even the local McDonough’s Your Independent Grocer had its moment in the spotlight. Reindeer Games Homecoming included the Manotick Community Centre and Mike O’Neil Arena along with the Ottawa Fire Station 94.

While one would assume that the snowy winters would be the draw to attract film producers to Ottawa, the majority of Christmas movies that are filmed here happen in the spring, summer, and early fall. Ottawa’s main advantage in attracting Christmas movies, in addition to provincial and federal tax incentives and skilled crew and talent, are its locations. Historic buildings, romantic courtyards, charming small towns like Manotick and Almonte, and an assortment of film-friendly businesses all contribute to Ottawa’s growing reputation as a desirable filming destination. Last spring, film crews were in Richmond for several weeks.

When Candy Cane Lane was filmed in Manotick, businesses in the village were asked to keep their Christmas decorations and lights up after Christmas, as filming took place primarily in January and February.

Made-for-TV Christmas movies are an important contributor to Ottawa’s screen-based production industry, generating millions of dollars for the local economy and employing hundreds of residents, while showcasing the capital region’s stunning locations to audiences worldwide.

Pachels de Saint Sardos commented in a CTV News interview that the recent strike in the film and television industry was disruptive, but said the numbers are not as bad as the numbers in 2022. She said in 2023, they went up from $42 million to $57 million locally in live action and animation. Those numbers represent dollars coming into the city, helping Ottawa’s economic development.

“Mayor Mark Sutcliffe is a great advocate,” Pachels de Saint Sardos told CTV News. “I am very grateful that the City of Ottawa is supporting us.”

Featured Image: Crews set up for filming in the Manotick Mews for the upcoming Movie, ‘Puppies Everywhere, All the Time’. (X photo/Mansfield Shoes)