COLOGNE, GERMANY--(Marketwire - August 16, 2010) - GDC Europe 2010 -- A combination of a deep talent pool, strong economy and targeted incentives has helped the Province of Ontario push Canada past the UK as the world's third largest centre for video-game development talent, trailing only Japan and the United States.
Executives from the Ontario Technology Corridor are attending the Game Developers Conference (GDC Europe 2010) in Cologne this week to show digital entertainment companies that Ontario is the best place in North America to expand or relocate their businesses.
Recently announced gaming infrastructure in the Ontario Technology Corridor includes:
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A $107 million dollar digital media centre for Ontario companies called The Communitech Hub: Digital Media and Mobile Accelerator in Kitchener, Ontario (Waterloo Region). Opened earlier this summer, "The Hub" offers 30,000 square feet of space dedicated to the growth of digital media research and commercialization. It represents a $26.4 million investment by the Province of Ontario, with the rest coming from private partners and other levels of government. Last week, Google announced it was taking two floors in The Hub to double its Waterloo Region staff to 140 from the present 70 people.
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The University of Waterloo's $20 million Stratford Institute for digital media, where the first classes begin this Fall. The Province of Ontario has invested $10 million in the institute, formed to help foster cross-disciplinary and cross sector collaboration in digital media. A further $10 million is being invested by the City of Stratford.
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The Generator at one, a $3 million state-of-the-art digital interactive media production facility in St. Catharines, Ontario. Featuring a Vicon T160 Motion Capture System, the facility is designed to enable entire media projects to be completed from one location. It was funded by the Government of Canada's Community Adjustment Fund, assisted through the Ontario Media Development Corporation, and is powered by nGen - Niagara's Interactive Media Generator.
Ontario's fast-growing entertainment and creative cluster produces $15 billion in revenue and over 200,000 jobs, contributing $12.7 billion to the province's GDP. In addition, gaming and digital media graduates from Ontario colleges and universities have proven to be prized employees at companies like Pixar Animation Studios, Electronic Arts, Walt Disney and Microsoft.
"Our job now is to add to our tremendous home-grown crop of companies and help demonstrate that Ontario is a prime destination in North America for gaming investments," said Gerry Pisarzowski, Vice President of Business Development for the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance, an Ontario Technology Corridor partner.
Ontario's Media Development Corporation (OMDC) is the central catalyst for the province's cultural media cluster, and offers the following targeted tax incentives:
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Ontario Intellectual Property Development Fund -- refunds 30 per cent of eligible early stage development costs to bring screen-based content properties closer to production;
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Ontario Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit -- refunds 35-40 per cent of production costs;
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Ontario Computer Animation and Special Effects Tax Credit -- 20 per cent of labor costs;
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OMDC Interactive Digital Media Fund -- up to $150,000 in project production funding. So far in 2010, the OMDC has announced $2.9 million in funding support.
About the Ontario Technology Corridor
Employing nearly 272,000 people among 6,700 companies, the Ontario Technology Corridor includes the Greater Toronto area, Ottawa region, Waterloo region, city of London and the Niagara region. The Corridor also welcomes in partnership the Province of Ontario's Ministry of Economic Development and Trade as well as the federal government's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.
The Ontario Technology Corridor offers a highly educated workforce, excellent growth opportunities, a low-risk business environment, and generous R&D tax credits that are the envy of other countries. The Corridor is supported by the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance (GTMA), Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation (OCRI), Canada's Technology Triangle, the London Economic Development Corporation and the Niagara Economic Development Corporation. For more information, go to www.ontariotechnologycorridor.com.
Contact Information:
Ontario Technology Corridor contacts:
Gerry Pisarzowski
Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance
Cell phone: 416-843-8692
Email: