Ontario Technology Corridor Declares Digital Doors Wide Open for Business at Ottawa Animation Festival

OTTAWA--(Marketwire - October 14, 2009) - Employing nearly 256,000 people among 5,900 companies in five urban regions, the Ontario Technology Corridor is positioning the province at the forefront of the digital entertainment revolution at the Ottawa International Animation Festival.

"Evidence of the Ontario Technology Corridor's digital entertainment sector leadership includes stellar job creation statistics, unique education infrastructure initiatives, targeted tax incentives, business wins with incoming companies such as international interactive gaming giant Ubisoft, and the continued growth of brilliant home-grown companies including Digital Extremes, Fuel Industries, Magmic Games, Inc., March Entertainment and Silicon Knights," says Gerald Pisarzowski, Vice-President Business Development with the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance (GTMA), an Ontario Technology Corridor partner.

Pisarzowski is joined this week at the Ottawa Animation Festival, where the Ontario Technology Corridor is a sponsor, by Blair Patacairk, Senior Consultant, Investment, with OCRI. Ottawa Region's OCRI is another of the Ontario Technology Corridor's five regional partners that also include Canada's Technology Triangle, the London Economic Development Corporation and the Niagara Economic Development Corporation.

Quick facts on the Ontario Technology Corridor's digital entertainment revolution:

--  Over the past decade, Ontario's entertainment and creative
    cluster created more than 80,000 new jobs -- an increase of
    40 per cent compared to 17 per cent in the overall Ontario
    economy.

--  Ontario's creative sector is estimated to contribute at least
    $7 billion from direct cultural industry contributions; when
    a broader range of culture contributions are included, that
    figure grows to $12.2 billion.

--  A sustained collaborative marketing effort by the Ontario
    Government and the GTMA through the Ontario Technology Corridor
    resulted in France-based Ubisoft's decision to establish a Toronto
    studio that is expected to create 800 jobs over the next decade,
    with operations expected to launch by the end of 2009. The Province
    of Ontario will contribute $263 million to help finance the
    investment, which is expected to total nearly $800 million.

--  In 2008 Ontario announced a $10 million investment to help the
    University of Waterloo create a new campus and research and
    innovation centre focused on global business and digital media,
    and a $9 million investment at the Ontario College of Art & Design
    to help create new digital media research and training programs.
    This is in addition to well established college and university
    programs across the province that attract employers including
    Pixar Animation Studios, Electronic Arts Inc., The Walt Disney Co.
    and Microsoft Corp.

--  The Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC), an agency of the
    Ministry of Culture, is the central catalyst for the province's
    cultural media cluster, and offers the following tax incentives:

    --  Ontario Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit -- refunds
        20 per cent of production costs;
    --  Ontario Computer Animation and Special Effects Tax Credit --
        20 per cent of labour costs;
    --  OMDC Interactive Digital Media Fund -- up to $150,000 in
        project production funding.

--  The Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade offers
    incentives to grow business with its Next Generation of Jobs
    fund -- 15 per cent of total project investment.

About the Ontario Technology Corridor:

Employing nearly 256,000 people among 5,900 companies, the Ontario Technology Corridor includes the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa Region, Waterloo Region, City of London and the Niagara Region and offers a highly educated workforce, excellent growth opportunities, a low-risk business environment, and generous R&D tax credits that are the envy of other countries. The Corridor is supported by the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance (GTMA), OCRI, Canada's Technology Triangle, the London Economic Development Corporation and the Niagara Economic Development Corporation. On Oct. 6, 2009, the Ontario Technology Corridor won the award for Regionalism and Cross-border Collaboration for cities with a population greater than 200,000, at the 2009 International Economic Development Council's (IEDC) Annual Conference. For more information, go to www.ontariotechnologycorridor.com

Contact Information: Ontario Technology Corridor contacts: Gerald Pisarzowski Vice-President Business Development Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance Phone: 416-843-8692 Email: Blair Patacairk Senior Consultant, Investment OCRI Phone: 613-889-8192 Email: Jill McCubbin Conversation Architect market2world communications inc. Phone: 613-256-3939 Email: