2012 Canadian Interactive Industry Profile: Final Research Report

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
Games was the most commonly selected line of business, chosen by 54% of respondent companies.See it on page 21
02
Games products generated about 43% of total core IDM revenue in 2011, the largest share by type of experience.See it on page 27
03
Affordable capital was the factor respondents rated most limiting to company growth, with a score of 3.26 on a 5-point scale.See it on page 49
04
Technical digital skills were the skills most frequently identified as lacking in Canada's current core IDM talent pool.See it on page 43
05
Just over 80% of companies project at least 10% revenue growth over the next 12-24 months, and 56% project growth of 25% or more.See it on page 48
06
Approximately 57% of total annual revenue from core IDM companies in 2011 was derived directly from export sales.See it on page 25

Summary

The 2012 Canadian Interactive Industry Profile, prepared by Nordicity for the Canadian Interactive Alliance (CIAIC) and dated October 2013, profiles Canada's core interactive digital media (IDM) industry for 2011. It uses an online survey open November to December 2012 that drew 235 responses, supplemented by 125 eligible responses from British Columbia and Manitoba studies, then grossed up to the national industry. The study narrows the definition to firms creating rich interactive experiences, so its results are not comparable with the 2006 or 2008 editions.

The report estimates about 1,684 core IDM companies in Canada as of 2011, concentrated in Ontario (31%), British Columbia (27%) and Quebec (18%). These companies employed about 26,700 full-time equivalents and generated roughly $3.8 billion in gross annual revenue, of which $2.5 billion was attributed to IDM activities. Around 57% of total annual revenue came from export sales.

Games was the most commonly selected line of business, chosen by 54% of respondents, and Games produced about 43% of core IDM revenue. Mobile was the most common target platform, at 75% of companies. Technical digital skills were most frequently identified as lacking in the talent pool, and companies said affordable capital was the most significant limiting factor for growth.