The seventh season of CBCB次元官网网址檚 popular television series Still Standing has started and a segment on Chemainus is on the schedule for Wednesday, Jan. 26.

The series-opener on Jan. 5 featured Hope, B.C., with interviews for the program shot by the Still Standing crew during the same trip that preceded a visit to Chemainus last July. After the program focuses on Port Stanley, Ont. Jan. 12, Wakefield, Que. is in the spotlight Jan. 19 and then Chemainus the following week. There are six other communities on the agenda before the season wraps up on March 23.

The premise of Still Standing is to highlight small towns that have been against the ropes, but are hanging in there.

In the case of Chemainus, the process of reinventing itself began in 1982 with the evolution of the mural project and the transition to a tourist destination accentuated after the previous sawmill closed in 1983. B次元官网网址淣ow itB次元官网网址檚 looking for the next generation of visionaries to keep it on the map,B次元官网网址� reads the promo material for the program on the showB次元官网网址檚 website.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 pretty punchy and tight,B次元官网网址� said Anne Francis, executive producer of Still Standing. B次元官网网址淚t showcases the charm and beauty of Chemainus. We talk about the murals and how that influenced a lot of other places weB次元官网网址檝e been to as well.B次元官网网址�

Production of the series was put on hold during the outbreak of COVID-19 and this is the first season with filming completed since the pandemic.

B次元官网网址淭here were a lot of challenges that you donB次元官网网址檛 typically encounter,B次元官网网址� conceded Francis. B次元官网网址淵ou throw a pandemic into the mix, our team went above and beyond.B次元官网网址�

The safety of crew members and the people they encountered was paramount. B次元官网网址淎fter months of monitoring the situation and carefully re-imagining how we produce the show, we were proud to be able to recommence production with COVID-19 safety as our central focus,B次元官网网址� a message on the showB次元官网网址檚 website explained.

Among the necessary changes was to limit the number of audience members for the comedy show to wrap up the filming in each town. A makeshift tent was set up at the former St. JosephB次元官网网址檚 School for the Chemainus finale and attendance was restricted to invitees who were seated in physically distanced cohorts.

Host Jonny Harris was prevented from his customary handshakes, hugs and meeting fans during filming and after the live show that have been central to Still Standing. But he still delivered a trademark performance that people will see on the broadcast.

B次元官网网址淚 always say itB次元官网网址檚 a Herculean effort,B次元官网网址� noted Francis. B次元官网网址淗e nailed it again.B次元官网网址�

All the interviews, scenes and information compiled from filming get narrowed down to 21 minutes and 30 seconds, she added, to fit into the half-hour time slot.

The film crew also had to conduct most of the shooting for the show outside due to COVID protocols when more inside locations would normally be utilized.

B次元官网网址淭hey were outside in all the elements,B次元官网网址� said Francis.

But the teamB次元官网网址檚 work on the show has been a labour of love from the outset.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think the travel and new places to see and explore is ever lost on anyone,B次元官网网址� Francis pointed out.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 always something amazing about every place. Everybody has a story and thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot we donB次元官网网址檛 know about our own country.B次元官网网址�

Still Standing has garnered a loyal fan base over the years.

B次元官网网址淲e have a lot of fans in the U.S. as well,B次元官网网址� said Francis. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a charm to it and you donB次元官网网址檛 necessarily need to be Canadian to appreciate it.B次元官网网址�

As difficult as it was to film the season, everyone connected with the show agreed it was better than the alternative.

B次元官网网址淲e want to thank everyone who worked with us to re-learn how to make a show in the middle of a pandemic, and to you, our audience, for waiting a little bit longer for a new season while we figured it all out,B次元官网网址� the Still Standing message concluded. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e thrilled to finally be able to safely share Season 7 of Still Standing.B次元官网网址�

The show can be seen each Wednesday at 8 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on CBC.