Toronto Gaffer Day Rate (2026): What Ontario Gaffers Charge

The gaffer is the chief lighting technician, the head of the electric department, and the cinematographer's closest technical partner on set. They translate the DP's lighting vision into a working plan, run the electric crew, spec and order the lighting package, and decide what gets rigged, powered, and pointed where. In Toronto in 2026, one of the deepest and busiest production markets in North America, working gaffers are commonly pulling C$650-1,000/day on non-union commercial work and C$850-1,400/day on episodic and feature, with the senior tier on national campaigns and signature series quoting above that. All figures are in Canadian dollars.

This guide breaks down what a Toronto gaffer charges in 2026: how the labor number gets built, why the truck and lighting package are a separate line, and where Ontario incentives, cross-border demand, and IATSE Local 873 shape the math.

The quick answer

Tier	Non-union commercial (CAD)	Episodic / feature (CAD)
Entry / new gaffer	C$500-750	C$650-1,000
Mid-tier (5-10 years)	C$750-1,100	C$1,000-1,400
Senior / experienced	C$1,100-1,700+	C$1,400-2,000+

All figures in Canadian dollars. These ranges are for a 10 to 12-hour day in Toronto in 2026, and they are labor only. The lighting package, the grip-and-electric truck, and the generator are separate rental lines, and prep days, overtime, and box or kit fees are billed on top. The number is the gaffer's time, before the gear gets added.

Expect the gaffer line to land toward the middle of these bands for a typical commercial day. Music video and indie feature work tend lower, while national commercial and streaming series tend higher. These are CAD numbers, which for a US-funded production translate to meaningfully lower USD costs.

Why Toronto gaffer rates land where they do

Toronto is one of the largest production markets on the continent, with a deep, experienced lighting labor pool that works year round. There is a working gaffer at nearly every price point, but the ceiling is set by high-budget commercial work and the steady flow of US-funded series and features. The structural drivers.

The gaffer's place in the crew. The gaffer sits directly under the director of photography and runs the electric side, in lockstep with the key grip who runs the grip side. Because the gaffer is a department head who orders and manages a full lighting package, their rate reflects buying decisions and crew leadership, not just hands on the set. Day rates sit a step below the DP and roughly in line with the key grip.

Ontario tax incentives. Ontario Creates administers the provincial production credits, and federal credits stack on top. That structure supports sustained volume across feature, series, and commercial production, which keeps the local electric department working and senior gaffers in town.

Deep episodic and streaming volume. Toronto shoots a heavy slate of streaming series and network television, much of it US-funded. Series work rewards gaffers who can run a large rig efficiently, and multi-season relationships with a DP push toward the upper end of the episodic band.

The exchange rate. The Canadian dollar advantage is a genuine draw for US productions. A Toronto gaffer quoting in CAD is, in USD terms, a discount relative to a comparable LA or New York hire, and that cross-border math keeps the market busy.

IATSE Local 873. Toronto crew are commonly members of IATSE Local 873, which covers technicians including the electric department on union signatory work in the area. Studio features and most streaming series run signatory, so 873 scale, conditions, and benefit contributions apply. National and US-agency commercial often shoots outside that structure, with senior gaffers quoting at or near union-equivalent, which pulls the non-union commercial band upward. Confirm the union status of your shoot early, because it changes the total more than the headline day rate does.

By project type

Gaffer day rates in Toronto vary by what you are shooting. All figures below are CAD.

National commercial campaign. C$1,000-1,700/day for a working senior gaffer, higher on spots with complex lighting design, large rigs, or heavy schedule compression. National and US-agency commercial runs the most generous lighting budgets and is where the senior tier earns most of its income.

Branded content and regional commercial. C$750-1,200/day. Smaller crews, faster turnarounds, smaller packages. This is where mid-tier gaffers build the reels that move them into national work.

Streaming and episodic. Most series shoot signatory, so 873 scale applies. A series gaffer in Toronto typically lands C$1,000-1,400/day plus box rental and, on many shows, a vehicle allowance. Senior gaffers with established DP relationships and multi-season credits exceed this range.

Independent feature. C$650-1,000/day, often structured as a flat weekly to fit the budget. Indie features frequently run under waivers, and crew accept slightly lower rates in exchange for shorter days, a strong credit, or a DP relationship.

Music video. C$700-1,200/day, and wildly variable. Label-funded videos pay real money and often carry big rigs. Independent artist videos run leaner and lower, with the reel value part of the draw.

What the day rate does and does not include

This is the part that trips up most first-time producers. The quoted day rate is the gaffer's labor for a standard 10 to 12-hour day. It does not include the gear, and the gear is where the real money is.

The lighting package. The lights, stands, cable, distro, dimmers, and control are a rental line item, not part of the gaffer's fee. The gaffer specs and orders the package, often through a rental house they know, but you pay for that gear separately. On a commercial with a serious lighting design, the package can dwarf the labor line.

The lighting and electric truck. Many working Toronto gaffers own their own truck and a house package of lights and cable that lives on it. When that is the case, the truck and its package are billed as a separate rental line, distinct from the labor. A gaffer-owned truck can be a good deal, because you are renting a known, ready-to-roll package from the person who knows it best. Ask for the truck-and-package rate as its own number so you can compare it against a rental-house quote.

The generator. On any location shoot pulling more power than the practical circuits can handle, you are renting a generator. That is its own line, separate from both the labor and the truck.

Prep days. Rigging days, pre-lights, and package prep are typically billed at a prep-day rate, commonly 50-75% of the shoot-day rate.

Overtime. Hours past the agreed day trigger overtime, typically time-and-a-half then double time, with union signatory work following Local 873's more generous structure. Toronto days run long, so build an overtime buffer into every budget.

How to hire a gaffer in Toronto without overpaying

The mistake to avoid is anchoring on a single number. A gaffer engagement is a negotiation across the labor rate, the truck-and-package rental, prep days, and overtime, and the total is what matters. Three practical moves.

Match the tier to the deliverable. A regional spot does not need a national-reel senior gaffer. Overpaying for a tier you will not see on screen is the fastest way to blow a lighting budget.

Get the truck and package as separate numbers. Ask any gaffer who owns a truck to break out the labor, the truck-and-package rental, and the generator as three distinct lines, so you can compare a gaffer-owned package against a rental-house quote.

Book availability, not just rate. In a market this busy, the constraint is rarely finding a gaffer at your price. It is finding a good one who is free on your dates and partners well with your DP.

Post your project on NeedaCrew and get matched with verified, available gaffers in Toronto who fit your budget and your shoot dates: post a project. You can also browse working gaffers in Toronto directly. If you are a gaffer working in Ontario, list yourself on NeedaCrew so producers can find you when the dates line up.

How Toronto compares

The gaffer is one line in a lighting and electric budget that also includes the DP above them and the key grip beside them, so budget the department as a unit rather than as isolated day rates. For the full picture, see the 2026 film crew day rates guide hub, and compare the Toronto DP day rate the gaffer works under. If your production is mobile, weigh Toronto against the other Canadian hub with the Vancouver gaffer day rate, or against the largest US market with the Los Angeles gaffer day rate. For a US-funded shoot, the CAD pricing in both Canadian hubs is the headline advantage.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average gaffer day rate in Toronto in 2026? There is no single average. A working mid-tier gaffer typically lands C$750-1,100/day on non-union commercial and C$1,000-1,400/day on episodic and feature, in Canadian dollars. Entry gaffers quote lower, and senior gaffers on national campaigns quote well above these bands.

Does the gaffer rate include the lights and the truck? No. The lighting package, the truck, and the generator are separate rental lines. Many Toronto gaffers own their truck and house package and bill it separately from their labor, so always ask for that rate as its own number.

How much is a gaffer truck rental in Toronto? It varies with the size and contents of the package, so there is no single figure. What matters is that it is a rental line separate from labor, quoted in CAD, that you compare against a rental-house quote.

Is an IATSE Local 873 gaffer more expensive than a non-union gaffer? Not always on the headline number, but signatory work carries union scale, conditions, and benefit contributions that affect total cost. On national commercial, senior gaffers outside that structure often quote at or near union-equivalent anyway.

How do I budget a Toronto gaffer if my production pays in US dollars? Quote and budget in CAD, then convert. At a rough C$1.35 to USD rate, a C$1,200/day gaffer is roughly $890 USD and a C$1,700/day senior gaffer is roughly $1,260 USD. The cross-border math is generally favorable for US-funded productions, especially across a long series or feature block where the day rate compounds. Watch the prevailing exchange rate, since the conversion, not the CAD figure, is what lands in your US budget.