Film production in Toronto
Between June and December, usable daylight in Toronto moves by 6h 28min — from 15h 25min down to 8h 57min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months, the climate profile.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Toronto rises at 05:36 and sets at 21:01; the evening golden hour starts at 20:18 and runs for 44 minutes. By December that shifts to 07:45–16:42, with a 47-minute golden-hour window from 15:55.
For scheduling, that means the window for the one shot that lives on light runs between 38 and 47 minutes across the year. Put it last in the day and the first overrun takes it.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:49 | 17:06 | 9h 18min | 16:21 |
| February | 07:17 | 17:48 | 10h 31min | 17:08 |
| March | 07:31 | 19:24 | 11h 53min | 18:46 |
| April | 06:36 | 20:01 | 13h 25min | 19:22 |
| May | 05:53 | 20:36 | 14h 43min | 19:55 |
| June | 05:36 | 21:01 | 15h 25min | 20:18 |
| July | 05:50 | 20:58 | 15h 07min | 20:15 |
| August | 06:23 | 20:23 | 14h 00min | 19:43 |
| September | 06:58 | 19:30 | 12h 32min | 18:52 |
| October | 07:32 | 18:36 | 11h 04min | 17:57 |
| November | 07:12 | 16:54 | 9h 41min | 16:11 |
| December | 07:45 | 16:42 | 8h 57min | 15:55 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Toronto starts at 21:23 in June and ends at 21:37 — a window of 14 minutes. In December it is 12 minutes from 17:02. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (19:24) and September (19:30) there are 6 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Weather and washout risk
Toronto averages 13 rain days in April and 9 in January. A three-day exterior shoot in April statistically loses 1.3 days — not a forecast, but the basis for deciding whether a cover set belongs in the budget.
| Month | Mean temperature | Rain days | Sunshine hours/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | -3.4 °C | 9 | 4.8 |
| February | -3.3 °C | 9 | 6.4 |
| March | 0.8 °C | 10 | 7.5 |
| April | 6.1 °C | 13 | 8.9 |
| May | 13.0 °C | 10 | 10.9 |
| June | 18.6 °C | 11 | 12.1 |
| July | 22.1 °C | 12 | 12.7 |
| August | 21.6 °C | 11 | 11.5 |
| September | 18.4 °C | 9 | 10.0 |
| October | 11.8 °C | 11 | 7.0 |
| November | 4.9 °C | 10 | 5.6 |
| December | 0.4 °C | 12 | 4.1 |
Filming permits
The responsible body is das Toronto Film, Television and Digital Media Office der Stadt Toronto. Provided without warranty. Permit and incentive conditions change; the responsible authority is always the binding source.
As of: 2026-08 · Source: toronto.ca/film
Incentives and rebates
Ontario kombiniert den OPSTC mit dem kanadischen Bundes-Credit; Abwicklung über Ontario Creates. Provided without warranty. Permit and incentive conditions change; the responsible authority is always the binding source.
As of: 2026-08 · Source: ontariocreates.ca
Planning a shoot here
A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in December, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in Toronto?
In June it starts at 20:18 and lasts 44 minutes; in December it starts at 15:55 and lasts 47 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Toronto get?
Between 8h 57min in December and 15h 25min in June. The 6h 28min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Toronto?
Combining daylight and rain days, June comes out ahead: plenty of usable light with comparatively few rain days. June has the longest days but not necessarily the steadiest weather.