Metro Vancouver, B.C. (April 22, 2026) – The REEL Earth Day Challenge has wrapped its sixth year, bringing together the British Columbia film and television industry to give back to the very landscapes that often appear on screen. From local parks that double as iconic film backdrops to neighbourhood trails viewers recognize in their favourite streaming series, Metro Vancouver’s regional parks are as much a part of the province’s storytelling identity as the productions they host.
The REEL Earth Day Challenge is presented in partnership by Reel Green™, the BC Film Commission’s industry-leading sustainable production program at Creative BC, and the Metro Vancouver Regional Parks Foundation. The event highlights a simple but powerful idea: the places that help bring film and television stories to life can also be strengthened through an industry which celebrates them.
Year-round, Reel Green™ works directly with sustainability crew working on productions across British Columbia to embed green practices into all stages of production, from power planning to material reuse. This event held during Earth Month brings B.C.’s production community together to take on daily environmentally sustainable actions while raising funds and awareness for restorative park projects across Metro Vancouver.
Audiences often don’t realize how frequently they’re already connected to these spaces, whether it’s spotting a familiar forest trail in a hit series or recognizing a coastal shoreline in a blockbuster film. Those same locations, which draw productions from around the world, are now also helping drive conservation and community impact across the region.
“This year’s Challenge was made possible with the support of key industry partners and the exceptional cast and crew who are committed to a sustainable future for the industry,” said Katharine Pavoni, Deputy Director, BC Film Commission at Creative BC. “These green spaces are an essential part of B.C.’s iconic landscapes seen in hundreds of movies and series each year, and the REEL Earth Day Challenge is one way our industry can give back to the places that help bring those stories to life.”
Regional parks across Metro Vancouver are among the most frequently used filming locations in the province, providing backdrops for major film and television productions year-round. Through the REEL Earth Day Challenge, the industry is turning that creative relationship into long-term environmental and community benefit.
Funds raised through the challenge support Metro Vancouver Regional Parks Foundation in delivering conservation and community programs that fall outside core government funding, helping to protect and enhance regional parks across the region. This year’s impact includes $85,000 raised to date, with a total of over $640,000 raised since inception, supporting 9 funded park projects in 2026.
Projects this year include shoreline stabilization and native planting at Sasamat Lake, coastal dune restoration in Boundary Bay Regional Park, and riparian forest restoration at Derby Reach Regional Park. Community programs include Indigenous-led free summer camps for youth, “Picnic in the Park” experiences for newcomers, and seniors programming that supports access to nature and wellbeing. Hands-on stewardship activities like Ecoblitz also engage volunteers in planting and restoration work that helps build healthier, more resilient parks.
“Every year we see how powerful this collaboration can be when the film industry comes together to support regional parks,” said Michael Wiebe, Executive Director of Metro Vancouver Regional Parks Foundation. “These funds allow us to move forward with meaningful projects that would not otherwise be possible through government funding alone, from habitat restoration to inclusive community programming that helps more people experience and care for regional parks.”
For more information on the REEL Earth Day Challenge and the projects it funds, visit reelearthdaychallenge.ca.
Media Contacts:
Lisa Escudero
Creative BC
media@creativebc.com
604-730-2235
Rachelle McBride
Metro Vancouver Regional Parks Foundation
rachelle@mvrpfoundation.ca
778-900-1084
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About Reel Green™
Founded in British Columbia in 2006, Reel Green™ is a strategic initiative of the BC Film Commission at Creative BC. It unites Canada’s motion picture industry to reduce environmental impacts by providing practical tools and fostering strategic collaboration between the industry, government, and the local economy. Website: reelgreen.ca
About Creative BC
Creative BC is an independent society created and supported by the Province to sustain and help grow British Columbia’s creative industries: motion picture, interactive and digital media, music and sound recording, and magazine and book publishing. The society delivers a wide range of programs and services with a mandate to expand B.C.’s creative economy. These activities include: administration of the provincial government’s motion picture tax credit programs; delivery of program funding and export marketing support for the sector; and provincial film commission services. Combined, these activities serve to attract inward investment and market B.C. as a partner and destination of choice for domestic and international content creation. The society acts as an industry catalyst and ambassador to help B.C.’s creative sector reach its economic, social, environmental and creative potential both at home and globally. Website: creativebc.com
About Metro Vancouver Regional Parks Foundation
Metro Vancouver Regional Parks Foundation is the only registered charity dedicated to the conservation and enhancement of Metro Vancouver’s regional parks. The Foundation provides the additional financial support needed to realize special projects and initiatives that fall outside of what public park funding is able to provide and depends on people who love our parks and who care about stewarding these precious ecological treasures for future generations. Website: mvrpfoundation.ca