The city of North Bay is reinstating the use of a controversial fake snow substance PHOS-CHEK which was banned last fall by the city.
The city has created a new environmental management plan that film companies will need to follow if they want to use the fake snow substance.
The policy requires film and television productions to develop environmental management plans for their projects before any chemicals are used detailing how they will be contained and kept out of the environment. That includes, but is not limited to, frequency of use, application method, conditions, procedures, plans for clean-up and containment mitigation, as well as restricted areas of use such as directly into waterways.
The city banned the use over environmental concerns when city officials had a report of overspray of the fake snow substance caused some vegetation to burn in shrubs along the North Bay waterfront.
See related: Fake snow ban won't harm North Bay TV and film industry
John Severino, City of North Bay engineer infrastructure and operations, says film crews will need to follow the new guidelines if they want to use PHOS-Chek.
"From that perspective is that we would not expect there would not be overspray so we will have an environmental management plan that is going to be specific to the use of a particular scene along with containment and proper protocols," said Severino.
"So their environmental management plan would be specific to that."
The City will be allowing the use of PHOS-CHEK® in North Bay to resume this week.
"We are now satisfied that, with these safeguards, any risks associated with the use of PHOS-CHEK® are minimal," the City of North Bay stated in a release.
