Polley often spoke about the impact that on-set life had on her. She expressed her pleasure with the collaborative nature of the Avonlea environment, saying that "there's a real sense of equality, and no one's really placed above anybody else. It seems like there's a real sense of camaraderie here. I think that will always stick with me."

She also noted the strong influence the other members of the cast and crew had on her life. In one interview, she said that "I think a lot of my views on the world in general are influenced by everyone on set. It's like a little nationality, to come from Avonlea. Everyone - they come from Canada. Well, I come from a fictional town called Avonlea. So it's sort of - I don't know - it feels like a little microcosmic culture."