Due to recent talent, the strong economy and targeted incentives, Canada has become the world’s third largest centre for video-game development talent. New gaming infrastructure has been announced in the Ontario Technology Corridor, which include:
· 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. It offers 30,000 square feet of space dedicated to the growth of digital media research and commercialization Рrepresenting a $26.4 million investment by the Province of Ontario (with the rest coming from private partners and other levels of government).
√Ǭ∑ 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, and a further $10 million is being invested by the City of Stratford.
√Ǭ∑ The Generator at one, a $3 million state-of-the-art digital interactive media production facility in St. Catharines, Ontario, features a Vicon T160 Motion Capture System. 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 entertainment and creative industries produce $15 billion in revenue and over 200,000 jobs. Also graduates from Ontario colleges and universities have become employees at companies like Pixar, Electronic Arts, Walt Disney and Microsoft.
Ontario’s Media Development Corporation (MDC) offers targeted tax incentives to help with growth:
√Ǭ∑ Ontario Intellectual Property Development Fund — refunds 30 per cent of eligible early stage development costs to bring screen-based content properties closer to production;
√Ǭ∑ Ontario Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit — refunds 35-40 per cent of production costs;
√Ǭ∑ Ontario Computer Animation and Special Effects Tax Credit — 20 per cent of labor costs;
√Ǭ∑ 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.
ONTARIO TECHNOLOGY CORRIDOR
www.ontariotechnologycorridor.com
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This week, executives from the Ontario Technology Corridor are attending the Game Developers Conference (GDC Europe 2010) in 