Amazing Race Canada returns to city
Filming of show took place on Frame Lake, legislative assembly grounds yesterday
Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Friday, April 29, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
CTV's Amazing Race Canada touched down in the city this week to film part of its fourth season set to air this summer.
The show features teams of two people racing other teams across the country, competing in challenges over about 28 days. CTV spokesperson Jim Quan declined Thursday to comment on filming locations.
Multiple people confirmed to Yellowknifer the show was filming in the city.
A film crew was spotted by a reporter in the Ceremonial Circle on the McMahon Frame Lake Trail behind the RCMP detachment. Several aboriginal drummers were performing and there were large travel backpacks on the ground, like those used on the show.
Another camera crew could be seen on the ice of Frame Lake near the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre.
On Wednesday, the show was filming inside the legislative assembly, said Sergeant-At-Arms Brian Thagard.
"They came and scouted locations all throughout town and were quite happy with this location," Thagard said in the Great Hall of the assembly.
"It's a great opportunity to get national coverage and showcase the building, showcase our consensus style of government, showcase our languages," he said.
Thagard said the contestants would finish a challenge involving one of the territory's aboriginal languages and then will jump in one of several trucks parked outside the assembly and then drive to the airport.
The assembly was in contact with the show's production team for about six months working out details such as where they could film inside, Thagard said.
Drew Williams, spokesperson for the GNWT Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment confirmed the NWT Film Commission, part of the department, was involved in assisting the production.
The casting deadline for the fourth season was Nov. 23, according to a news release on Bell Media's website.
Quan said the fourth season starts in July, although exact dates will be announced later.
It's not the first time the show has filmed in the city. An episode from the show's first season filmed in the city in May 2013 and aired August that year.
It had contestants on Pilot's Monument and take part in a polar dip into Great Slave Lake.
