LOS ANGELES — Colter Shaw is heading south. In a massive blow to “Hollywood North,” CBS has officially confirmed that its top-rated drama Tracker will relocate its entire production from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Los Angeles for its upcoming fourth season.
The move, announced on Monday, May 4, 2026, was finalized after the show landed a record-breaking $48 million California tax credit—the largest ever awarded to a relocating television series by the California Film Commission.
The “Unprecedented” Tax Credit
The financial incentive was the primary driver behind the relocation. Tracker (originally listed under a generic pseudonym during the application process) eclipsed Prime Video’s Fallout ($42 million) as the biggest winner in the latest round of California’s $750 million tax incentive program.
- Qualified Spending: The production is expected to spend over $129 million in California-qualified expenditures.
- Economic Impact: The move is projected to generate 176 filming days in California and provide jobs for hundreds of local cast and crew members.
- The “Bonus” Strategy: By filming in rural and remote locations outside the standard 30-mile Los Angeles zone, the production qualifies for an additional 5% bonus credit, allowing the show to maintain its signature wilderness aesthetic.
A Creative Shift for Colter Shaw
While the show’s first three seasons utilized the lush forests and mountains of British Columbia to stand in for various U.S. states, Season 4 will leverage California’s more arid and diverse landscapes.
”Location is a huge part of the storytelling on Tracker,” showrunner Elwood Reid said in a statement. “We are thrilled to kick off the fourth season by filming in Los Angeles… it opens up fresh storytelling possibilities from coastlines to deserts.”
Justin Hartley, who serves as both lead actor and executive producer, expressed mixed emotions about leaving the Canadian hub. “I’m proud of what we built in Vancouver,” Hartley said. “I’m also very excited we’re bringing Tracker to L.A. and heading to these new, fresh places next.”
A Loss for “Hollywood North”
The departure of Tracker is a significant hit to Vancouver’s film and television industry. As one of the most-watched shows on network television, the series provided steady employment for over 450 people in the region. Local industry leaders have expressed concern that the aggressive tax credits in California and other U.S. states are beginning to lure high-profile “anchor” productions back across the border.
Despite the move, fans can still expect Colter Shaw to remain a “lone-wolf survivalist” on the move. While the production home is changing, the character’s job—tracking fugitives and missing persons for reward money across the entire United States—remains the core of the series.
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