How holiday rom-coms are providing a big boost for some Ontario communities

Watching Christmas movies is a time-honoured tradition, including those holiday romance films typically set in small-town USA.

But many of them are actually made in Ontario each year, giving a big boost to local businesses, and the provincial economy as a whole. 

That include the new Netflix film Hot Frosty, where the winter wonderland set in Hope Springs, New York is actually Brockville, Ont.

In Brockville, the city is attempting to capitalize on the movie's popularity, even developing a Hot Frosty bingo card people can use to track sightings of local landmarks while watching the film at home, said Lyndsay Bigley, a marketing officer with the City of Brockville. 

Local businesses are also getting in on the fun. A knitting store now sells a pattern similar to the magical scarf that brings a snowman to life in the film, while a cafe has develops a specialty drink with the film's name. 

When it was filmed in April, restaurants and hotels saw a boost in business while the movie's cast and crew were in town during what's usually a slow time for the summer vacation spot, Bigley said. 

"That was a really cool aspect to see some of the bigger stars of the movie strolling downtown and visiting those small independent shops. I think that was really special," she said. 

Bigley said she hopes the film will help people see Brockville as more than just a summer destination. 

"To see people looking at Brockville in a different light, seeking us out and realizing that there's actually a lot to do here in the winter as well. It's been really special." 

WATCH | Ontario cities provide backdrop for popular holiday rom-coms:

Brockville is just one example of communities getting an economic lift from the holiday film industry. 

In North Bay, the city has become a holiday movie hot spot. The city's website even has a section dedicated to the film and television industry with location suggestions. 

Many of those films are produced by Hideaway Pictures, a production company based in Sudbury and North Bay. CEO David Anselmo says holiday films are a big part of their business. He estimates that they've made between 50 to 60 of them since he moved back home to Sudbury to start the company about 12 years ago. 

Over that time, Anselmo says the film industry in Northern Ontario has exploded.