As we continue to wind down from the 2021 Canadian Game Awards, we wanted to highlight one of our many partners who make the award show possible. Interactive Ontario’s contribution is not only met through the Canadian Game Awards, but also the Canadian gaming industry as a whole.
Interactive Ontario is a not-for-profit trade association, formed by members of the interactive digital media industry and working on behalf of those within the industry.
Since its inception, Interactive Ontario has worked alongside stakeholders within the gaming and the digital media industry to help see to it that it continues to flourish. One of its primary goals is to help Ontario gain recognition as a leader in the space. This has lead to many initiatives involving Ontario developers and publishers working on games as well as VR, AR, MR, and eLearning-focused content.
At the helm of Interactive Ontario is president & CEO Lucie Lalumière. With a longstanding career in interactive and emerging media, Lalumière and her team have helped foster and promote the growth of Ontario’s interactive digital media industry over the years. As the Canadian Game Awards have gone on to grow and thrive in recent years, Interactive Ontario has been an essential factor in that growth.
“We proudly represent Ontario’s video game and interactive digital media community and are dedicated to its economic and creative growth. We are thrilled to partner with the Canadian Game Awards and highlight the incredible work that is being produced in our country, and of course, our province! From AAA studios to the trailblazing indies, we are here to celebrate our techno-creative community who shines on the world stage as a leader in interactive entertainment,” says Lalumière.
This year, Interactive Ontario has worked on groundbreaking initiatives such as partnering with Ubisoft Toronto and Ontario’s Black Youth Action Plan to launch ipprenticeship: Career Fair for Emerging Black Professionals and Students.’ Additionally, Interactive Ontario has continued its advocacy work alongside Canada Media Fund on potential improvements to current funding programs.
Most recently, the organization has launched the Interactive Ontario Funding Database, which includes over 70 funding programs available to video games, interactive digital media, and other interactive entertainment studios. This proves to be an essential tool for creative houses, available through Interactive Ontario’s Members Hub.
As we look forward to the next celebration of the Canadian Game Awards, we also look forward to the Awards’ evolving partnership with Interactive Ontario. In the meantime, we’ll continue to spotlight more of our fantastic partners.