Ubisoft Entertainment, a creator of interactive entertainment with large Canadian operations in Toronto and Montreal, has selected Winnipeg as the location for a new video game development studio.
“We are pleased to welcome Ubisoft to Manitoba and look forward to working with them to grow our tech talent pool,” said Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Blaine Pedersen. “This private capital investment in Manitoba will create new jobs and opportunities for students and graduates in the interactive digital media, information and communications technology fields.”
Founded in France, Ubisoft is one of the largest interactive entertainment publishers in the world. The company has more than 13,000 employees including 4,500 in Canada. In 2016-17, the company’s total annual sales exceeded 1.4 billion euros. Ubisoft plans to hire 20 Manitoba employees per year and invest C$35 million in the province over the next five years.
“This is a great example of the work of Team Manitoba – a joint initiative of the Manitoba government, the City of Winnipeg, Economic Development Winnipeg and Yes! Winnipeg, established to promote the economic advantages for companies seeking to expand or relocate in Manitoba,” said Pedersen. “Together, we’ve created the right conditions for Ubisoft to choose Manitoba and we’re excited about the new opportunities this partnership will bring.”
To help attract new investment in Manitoba, the provincial government has enhanced Manitoba’s Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit, which provides a fully refundable income tax credit to companies that develop interactive digital media products, the minister noted. Budget 2016 expanded the tax credit to support larger digital media companies that establish a significant job-creating presence in Manitoba, and Budget 2017 extended the tax credit to the end of 2022, he said.
