Media Centre: In the News

Entertainment software delivers $1.7b boost to Canadian economy
Published March 25, 2009

By Gillian Shaw, Vancouver Sun

Canada's entertainment software industry delivers 14,000 jobs and $1.7 billion in direct economic activity, according to a report released Wednesday by the Entertainment Software Association of Canada.

In a year marked by economic turmoil, Canada's entertainment software industry is one of the country's most promising knowledge-based industries," the report, prepared by Hickling Arthurs Low Corp for the ESA said.

The report identifies three primary clusters of activity for the sector — Vancouver, Montreal and the Greater Toronto Area — with seven secondary clusters identified across eight provinces. Those clusters account for 94 per cent of total employment in the sector.

Upwards of 80 per cent of the employment is based in British Columbia and Quebec with Ontario accounting for 14 per cent of the jobs. Despite the lower job figures, Ontario has the greatest number of firms at 36 per cent of the national total, compared to 28 per cent for B.C. and 21 per cent for Quebec.

The study also includes robust growth projections although it notes that its data was collected by HAL from June 2008 through October, timing which doesn't take into account the economic downturn and layoffs in the industry that have occurred since then.

Among the report findings:

• Total employment: 14,043 people.

• Estimated revenue: $1.7 billion.

• Number of establishments: 247.

• Average employment per firm: 57.

• Past annual growth: 23 per cent.

• Expected annual growth: 29 per cent.