In Canada we have three major cities known for gaming, Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto (in that order). The Province of Quebec offers local companies many incentives which have helped many start ups get their initial boost, Vancouver has a very strong local community, and here in Toronto its a bit more of a feast or famine. While Toronto is still home to many gaming and new media companies we still have never hit that critical mass that is often seen in other cities across the country. International developer and publisher Ubisoft has announced plans to build a full development studio in Toronto, Ontario, a first for the province. The Government of Ontario is investing $263 million CDN over the next ten years into the expansion plans which is begin operations in late 2009.
“Today’s announcement marks a strategic move for Ubisoft as we continue to expand our internal development force,” said Yves Guillemot, president and chief executive officer at Ubisoft. “We are in an excellent position to grow and after extensive analysis we are thrilled to have reached an agreement with the government of Ontario to found our new studio in Toronto. The city is one of North America’s economic and cultural epicenters and our expectations are high. We’re excited to be able to count on the exceptional local talent, who will contribute to our accelerated growth and will have a profound impact on the video game industry with the excellence of their creativity.”
Toronto also has a very strong film infrastructure and is home to many annual film festivals including the Toronto International Film Festival, which is currently the 2nd largest International film festival. Will Ubisoft’s expansion be the shot in the arm to boost Toronto’s gaming industry?
Founder of Profectio of business sites which includes 
