Ottawa takes centre stage in these Christmas movies this holiday season

Tis the season for Christmas movies, and you will be able to spot locations in Ottawa in several movies on the small screen this holiday season.

Two Christmas movies filmed in the Ottawa-area in 2023 will be premiering on CTV Life Channel in the lead up to Christmas.  A total of nine Christmas movies filmed in Ottawa in 2022 and 2023 will premiere on CTV Life Channel, Hallmark, OWN and Lifetime over the holidays.

Here is a look at the schedule for movies filmed in Ottawa appearing on CTV Life Channel this holiday season.

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Catch Me if you Claus – Saturday, Nov. 25 at 8 p.m.

Catch Me if you Claus stars Italia Ricci and Luke Macfarlane.

"Avery Quinn is an aspiring news anchor who’s finally getting her big break on her station’s Christmas morning newscast. But that’s put in jeopardy when she captures an intruder in her home wearing a red suit claiming to be Chris, Santa’s son, who is on his first mission," says the synopsis on the Ottawa Film Office website. "A night of adventure ensues as they find themselves being pursued by the police as well as some shady characters."

Prominent Ottawa-area locations:

• Sparks Street
• Saint Patrick Basilica
• The Rainbow Bistro on Murray Street
• A Fine Thing Furniture on Somerset Street

Catch Me if you Claus was filmed at several locations in Ottawa, including on Sparks Street. (Hallmark Channel/YouTube)

An Ice Palace Romance – Friday, Dec. 22 at 8 p.m.

An Ice Palace Romance stars Celeste Desjardins and Marcus Rosner.

"A journalist faces old fears when she returns to her hometown ice rink to cover a story," says the movie synopsis. "With the help of the owner and his young daughter, she begins to re-evaluate her life’s purpose."

Prominent Ottawa-area locations:

• ByWard Market
• Elgin Street
• Fred Barrett Arena

An Ice Palace Romance was filmed at Fred Barrett Arena in Ottawa. (Hallmark.ca)

Other Christmas and holiday filmed in Ottawa premiering this holiday season

• A Royal Christmas Crush (Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Laurentian Leadership Centre on Metcalfe Street, Stanley's Olde Maple Lane Farm)
• Christmas by Design (Bramasole Diner, Canada's Haute Couture Fashion Design Academy)
• Laughing all the Way (ByWard Market, The Waverley Elgin, Eldorado Taco, Harmon's Steakhouse, Stonefields Estate)
• A Christmas Serenade (Bronson Centre, First Baptist Church on Laurier Avenue West, St. Giles Presbyterian Church on First Avenue)
• Yes, Chef! Christmas (Ottawa City Hall, Sparks Street, Villa Marconi, Family Table Ottawa, Oz Kafe, Joy on Sussex)
• The Christmas Detective (Bayview Yards, Wellington Street West, Union Local 613, Tin House Court, ByWard Market)
• Christmas Revisted

Christmas movies filmed in Ottawa available on CTV.ca/Crave

Several Christmas movies filmed in Ottawa over the past few years are available to watch on www.ctv.ca/life and Crave over the holidays. Here is a look at the list of movies filmed in Ottawa and some of the prominent locations.

One Delicious Christmas

One Delicious Christmas stars Alex Mallari Jr., Vanessa Marano, Elana Dunkelman, Kathy Maloney and Bobby Flay.

One Delicious Christmas was released in 2022. It is available on Crave and CTV.ca.

Prominent Ottawa-area locations:

• Clarendon Lane – ByWard Market
• Le Moulin de Provence - ByWard Market

Preston (Alex Mallari Jr.) and Abby (Vanessa Marano) share a moment and s’mores in the discovery+ holiday feature, One Delicious Christmas. (Source: Food Network/discovery+)

Designing Christmas

Designing Christmas starring Jessica Szohr, Marco Grazzini, Mykee Selkin, Leighton Williams, Fiona Highet, Eugene Clark, Nicole Power and Hilary Farr.

Designing Christmas was released in 2022 and is available on Crave and CTV.ca.

Prominent Ottawa-area locations:

• Filmed in Almonte, Ont. and Ottawa

Hotel for the Holidays

Hotel for the Holidays stars Madelaine Petsch and Mena Massoud, and includes Max Lloyd-Jones and Kayleigh Shikanai.

Hotel for the Holidays was released in 2022 and is available on Crave and CTV.ca.

Prominent Ottawa-area locations:

• Fairmont Chateau Laurier 
• Knox Presbyterian Church
• 160 Elgin Street
• Sparks Street
• Healthy Pets HQ on Bank Street

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Twas the Night Before Christmas starring Torrey DeVitto, Zane Holtz and Amanda Baker.

Twas the Night Before Christmas premiered in 2022 and is available on Crave and CTV.ca.

Prominent Ottawa-area locations:

• Sparks Street

A Chance for Christmas

A Chance for Christmas stars Tori Anderson, Mykee Selkin and Habree Larratt.

A Chance for Christmas premiered in 2021. It's available this holiday season on Crave and CTV.ca.

Prominent Ottawa-area locations:

• Almonte Riverside Inn

A Chance for Christmas will air on CTV Drama this holiday season. (Photo courtesy: YouTube/Tubi)

The Christmas Setup

The Christmas Setup is an American-Canadian romantic comedy television film starring Fran Drescher, Ben Lewis, Blake Lee, Ellen Wong and Chad Connell.

The Christmas Setup originally premiered in 2020. It's available on Crave and CTV.ca.

Prominent Ottawa locations:

• The Glebe
• Sparks Street

Midnight at the Magnolia

The movie features Natalie Hall, Evan Williams and Alison Brooks.

Midnight at the Magnolia debuted in 2020. It is available on CTV.ca and Crave.

Prominent Ottawa locations:

• Clarendon Lane, ByWard Market
• MacDonald Gardens Park on Rideau Street
• Whiskey Bar
• Happy Goat Coffee on Elgin Street

Unlocking Christmas

Unlocking Christmas stars Taylor Cole, Steve Lund, Elena Juatco, Brittany Drissdelle and Alexandra Augustine.

It was released in 2020, and is available on Crave and CTV.ca.

Prominent Ottawa-area locations:

• Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, Almonte
• Superior Restaurant, Almonte
• L.G. Lee & Sons in Almonte

 

For information on all Christmas movies filmed in Ottawa, visit the Ottawa Film Office website.