REEL Earth Day Challenge 2025 Returns to Connect Creativity with Conservation

How the BC Film Industry is Protecting Nature, One Scene at a Time

The magic of movies and the beauty of BC’s landscapes go hand in hand — and this Earth Month, the film industry is once again giving back to the land that inspires it.

The REEL Earth Day Challenge is back for its fourth year, inviting BC-based film and TV productions to compete — not for awards or box office glory, but to raise crucial funds for conservation projects in Metro Vancouver’s regional parks.

Organized by Metro Vancouver Regional Parks Foundation in partnership with Creative BC’s Reel Green™ initiative, this friendly fundraising challenge is more than just a competition — it's a commitment to sustainability and community care from an industry that depends on the natural beauty of BC.

Since its launch in 2021, the challenge has raised nearly $500,000. These funds have supported everything from habitat restoration and wildlife conservation to Indigenous-led summer camps and newcomer-focused events. Now in 2025, the challenge is aiming to break that half-million-dollar milestone — and bring even more impact to parks across the region.

“This industry thrives on the natural beauty of our regional parks, and it’s our responsibility to give back to the landscapes that make this province a premier filming destination,” says Marnie Gee, BC Film Commissioner at Creative BC.

From salmon research to floodgate upgrades, from education programs to ecosystem restoration, every dollar raised through the REEL Earth Day Challenge helps protect what makes BC so special — while building stronger connections between people and nature.

This year, The Sustainable Act is proud to support the REEL Earth Day Challenge through consulting and co-leading this initiative alongside Reel Green™. As an agency dedicated to sustainability in media and storytelling, we’re thrilled to help amplify the environmental efforts of the screen industry.

“What makes the REEL Earth Day Challenge so powerful is that it brings community, creativity, and conservation together in such a tangible way,” says Smiely Khurana, founder of The Sustainable Act. “The stories we tell on screen are shaped by the natural world around us — and this challenge is an opportunity for the industry to give back to that source of inspiration in a meaningful and lasting way.”

The challenge operates as a race, with production teams from major studios like Netflix, Disney, and Paramount competing to raise the most funds. The top team earns serious bragging rights — and more importantly, plays a direct role in safeguarding green spaces for future generations of both filmmakers and families.

Want to support or get involved?

Visit reelearthdaychallenge.ca to learn more and see how your production — or your passion — can make a difference.