Durham Chronicle 17-18 Issue 12

18 The Chronicle April 24 - 30, 2018 chronicle.durhamcollege.ca Campus
The growing gaming industry in Canada
Our industry
has just been
constantly
growing every
year.
Talent is
another huge
component as
to why we are
growing.
The impact
has also
been felt
positively on
the country's
economy
Dennis B. Price
The Chronicle
For anyone looking to get their
foot in the door of the gaming industry,
now is a good time.
The last seven years has seen
positive growth for this industry,
with the number of developers
and publishers increasing by 71
per cent.
In addition to that, the gaming
industry contribution to Canada’s
GDP went up by $2 billion
from 2011 to 2017.
The gaming industry in Canada
has hit a seven-year growth,
according to the Entertainment
Software Association of Canada
(ESAC).
These findings come from the
association’s annual survey, Essential
Facts.
ESAC’s communication coordinator,
Jennifer Krpan describes
the organization as the
voice of the Canadian video
game industry. She says the organization
represents companies
such as Microsoft, EA, Ubisoft,
Capcom and many others on a
range of topics and issues.
Krpan says there are a lot of
factors to why the GDP contribution
went up by that much.
“Our industry has just constantly
been growing each year,”
she said. “So, we’ve been seeing
a constant uptake in companies,
FTEs (full-time equivalent jobs)
and our GDP contribution.”
As for the video game companies
increasing,
Krpan says a lot has to do with
the provincial tax credit that incentivizes
game developers and
publishers to set up their workspaces
in Canada.
The digital media tax credit
gives an incentive to companies
to create video games here.
Quebec and Ontario are the
two most popular provinces
The growth of the video game industry's contribution to Canada's GDP.
Employment numbers in Canada's video game industry.
Infographic by Dennis B. Price
Infographic by Dennis B. Price
Infographic by Dennis B. Price
The number of video game companies in Canada and their growth from 2011 to 2017.
where game developers set up
their companies to get the most
out of the tax credit.
The tax credit writes off
labour expenditures for those
companies.
For Quebec, that incentive
can go up to 37.5 per cent, while
in Ontario it can go up to 40 per
cent.
Krpan adds the digital media
tax credit started out in Quebec
first and created an active hub of
video game companies since its
first introduction.
“In addition to that, I think
talent is another huge component
as to why we are growing,” Krpan
said.
She said the federal government’s
decision to support digital
skills and the global talent stream
has attracted highly skilled individuals.
She says the best talent around
the world is coming to Canada to
work here.
Many talented individuals are
looking for opportunities to work
in the Canadian video game industry.
So is Durham College Game
Development first-year student,
Shazad Habibulla.
Habibulla says after he finishes
his program, he would like to
make his own game or make one
with other people but adds he
would be like to go for a major
publisher.
“Really, anyone’s fine, except
I’m not a fan of EA, so not them,”
Habibulla said.
Krpan says ESAC is always
looking to support Game Development
students.
The organization puts on student
video game competitions to
support the growth.
She says the organization is
looking to go beyond that for the
future of the game industry in
Canada.
Krpan adds that the organization
is looking into introducing
coding at an even earlier age than
in post-secondary programs.
ESAC wants coding to be implemented
as a class starting in
elementary school.
“So, then our students within
Canada can grow up knowing
this language and learning new
types of computer languages and
skills,” Krpan said.
“Then they can actually be interested
in the video game industry
at a very early age.”