Ontario’s Next Gen Industry: Addressing the Labour Demand and Growth in the Creative Technology Sector

Interactive Ontario, in partnership with the City of Toronto and The Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC), and with support from London Economic Development Corporation and the Government of Ontario, launches the first-ever province-wide study on the creative tech labour market in Ontario. The goal of this study is to understand the state of Ontario’s creative technology sector and its labour market needs. This study investigates the labour needs (jobs, skills, seniority levels), recruitment and retention methods, diversity and inclusion needs, and other core considerations for the creative technology labour market. This information benchmarks the state of the creative technology sector, measures future changes and trends, and ensures that stakeholders have the tools and data needed to plan and develop initiatives that drive high-quality employment opportunities for Ontarians. Ce rapport est aussi disponible en Français.

Insights and Best Practices on Scaling up Video Game Companies

Insights and Best Practices on Scaling Up Video Game Companies

Interactive Ontario’s latest industry research, produced by Communications MDR and supported by Ontario Creates, focuses on insights, best practices and lessons learned in Canada and other jurisdictions that:

  • Can inform the design of programs or initiatives intended to help Ontario video game companies scale up; and
  • Provide Ontario video game studios with case studies and clear examples of successful scale-up companies, and practices to follow in order to attain similar scale-up success.

The use cases feature Digital Extremes, East Side Games, Big Blue Bubble, Behaviour Interactive, and Phoenix Labs. These successful scale-up studios are unique but also share several key success factors such as the experience and leadership skills of founders, their product-market fit and scalable business model, access to capital, talent, innovation and innovation partners, and strategic partnerships.
“Insights and Best Practices on Scaling up Video Game Companies” is an invaluable source of insights for business leaders interested in scaling up their company and for organizations such as Interactive Ontario supporting the growth of the video game and interactive digital media industry.

Support for this research report was provided by Ontario Creates. The study was conducted by Maria De Rosa and Marilyn Burgess of Communications MDR. Released April 2023

An International Review of Financing for Video Game Companies

An International Review of Financing For Video Game Companies.

The video games industry is experiencing a period of intense growth, fueled by significant global opportunities. Access to capital has been identified as a critical challenge to Canadian video game studios. This study contains a review of public and private financing measures and opportunities that exist in international jurisdictions such as the United States (US), European Union (EU) and selected Nordic and Asia Pacific Regions The goal of the study were twofold:

  • to review and describe the financing ecosystems that support companies in these jurisdictions , including identification and description of the private and public financing mechanisms that companies have access to
  • to extract lessons that can be learned and potential innovations that could be applied or considered for the Canadian context to ensure a continued competitive financing landscape of Canadian companies.

Support for this research report was provided by Ontario Creates, Ubisoft and the Royal Bank of Canada. The study was conducted by Maria De Rosa and Marilyn Burgess of Communications MDR. Released March 2022.

Measuring the Impact of COVID-19 Survey

Measuring the Impact of COVID-19 Survey - April 2020

Measuring the Impact. Recovering Strong. – Key Findings

To gauge the impact of COVID-19 on the IDM sector in Ontario, the Canada Media Fund (with support from Interactive Ontario and other provincial IDM associations across the country), asked Nordicity to develop a Canada-wide survey. The survey was open between March 23, 2020 and April 6, 2020. In total, 75 Ontario IDM companies and 35 self-employed Ontarians responded to the survey.

Measuring the Impact of COVID-19 on the IDM Industry – Ontario

The Measuring the Impact of COVID-19 on the IDM Industry report produced by Nordicity provides data on IDM companies from Ontario from the CMF-Funded national survey outlining the effects of COVID-19 on Canadian businesses.

The Interactive Ontario Discoverability Report

Interactive Ontario Discoverability Report

This report highlights a range of tactics being used to ensure successful discoverability, as well as the challenges that Ontario IDM companies face and recommendations for how some challenges may be solved.

Interactive Digital Media (IDM) companies in Ontario create interactive experiences for many different platforms such as mobile, web, PC, game consoles and VR. However, many Ontario IDM companies are up against consistent challenges related to discoverability, which are vital to overcome in order for more of the interactive experiences to be discovered by the right consumers, and successfully monetized. Impactful discoverability is far more than marketing and public relations – it is also harnessing the right insights to engage the right audiences, developing strategic relationships with platforms and more.

Support for this research report was provided by Ontario Creates, the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), RBC, and Ubisoft. The report was written by Laura Mingail, founder of Archetypes & Effects. Released January 2020.

Measuring Success: The Impact of the Interactive Digital Media Sector in Ontario (2nd edition – 2019)

This is the 2nd edition of Interactive Ontario’s Measuring Success report. Commissioned by IO and prepared by Nordicity, it provides an updated picture of the economic impact of interactive digital media in Ontario and details the growth since the previous report. Released May 2019.

Measuring Success: The Impact of the Interactive Digital Media Sector in Ontario

A Diversity & Inclusion Toolkit for the Interactive Digital Media Industry

The toolkit provides interactive digital media (IDM) companies with pragmatic and actionable advice for enhancing their talent management strategies with the goal of improving team diversity while fostering an inclusive culture. The strategies in the toolkit are tailored to the unique needs of the IDM sector to help leaders attract and retain top talent from diverse backgrounds. Through implementation of these strategies, IDM companies will increase employment opportunities in the sector for talent currently underrepresented due to gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, class, religion, age, ability and other identities.

Released October 2017 with the support of our partners the Ontario Media Development Corporation, the Canada Media Fund, Ubisoft and the Humber College School of Media Studies and Information Technology.

A Diversity & Inclusion Toolkit for the Interactive Digital Media Industry

A Diversity & Inclusion Toolkit for the Interactive Digital Media Industry

The toolkit provides interactive digital media (IDM) companies with pragmatic and actionable advice for enhancing their talent management strategies with the goal of improving team diversity while fostering an inclusive culture. The strategies in the toolkit are tailored to the unique needs of the IDM sector to help leaders attract and retain top talent from diverse backgrounds. Through implementation of these strategies, IDM companies will increase employment opportunities in the sector for talent currently underrepresented due to gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, class, religion, age, ability and other identities.

Released October 2017 with the support of our partners the Ontario Media Development Corporation, the Canada Media Fund, Ubisoft and the Humber College School of Media Studies and Information Technology.

Measuring Success: The Impact of the Interactive Digital Media Sector in Ontario (1st edition – 2017)

The toolkit provides interactive digital media (IDM) companies with pragmatic and actionable advice for enhancing their talent management strategies with the goal of improving team diversity while fostering an inclusive culture. The strategies in the toolkit are tailored to the unique needs of the IDM sector to help leaders attract and retain top talent from diverse backgrounds. Through implementation of these strategies, IDM companies will increase employment opportunities in the sector for talent currently underrepresented due to gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, class, religion, age, ability and other identities.

Released October 2017 with the support of our partners the Ontario Media Development Corporation, the Canada Media Fund, Ubisoft and the Humber College School of Media Studies and Information Technology.

IDM Co-production – A Guide for Canadian Companies: Asia and Latin America

IDM Co-Production II: A Guide for Canadian Companies (Asia and Latin America)

A report by Interactive Ontario designed to guide companies in taking advantage of the opportunities available in international digital media co-production. This second phase of our co-production research offers practical tips and information on funding sources, with a focus on China, India, South Korea, Argentina, Brazil and Colombia. Released July 2015.

IDM Co-Production Guides

IDM Co-production – A Guide for Canadian Companies

IDM Co-Production II: A Guide for Canadian Companies

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A report by Interactive Ontario designed to guide companies in taking advantage of the opportunities available in international digital media co-production. The report offers practical tips and information on funding sources, with a focus on the UK, France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. Released September 2014.