Press release
Warner Bros. in Montréal: more proof of Montréal’s creative talent
Montréal, March 22, 2010 – The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal enthusiastically welcomes the news that U.S. corporation Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is establishing a development studio in Montréal. The studio will gradually create over 300 jobs over the next five years.
“The arrival of a major player like Warner Bros. in Montréal confirms our leading position in the interactive game milieu. This high value added, economically important, and resolutely future-oriented sector generates high-quality jobs and perfectly positions Montréal as a trend-setting city, renowned for its creativity, innovation, and high level of technological know-how,” declared the President and CEO of the Board of Trade, Mr. Michel Leblanc.
“Today’s announcement comes on the heels of a lot of other good news concerning Montréal’s interactive game sector. Over the last few months, California-based THQ and Norwegian company Funcom also announced the opening of creative studios in Montréal. Added to companies that are already well established here, such as A2M, Eidos, Electronic Arts, and Ubisoft, it is clear that Montréal has become a world capital for interactive game creators,” added Michel Leblanc.
“Now, the challenge for Montréal will be to provide these companies with the manpower required for their future projects. Large sectoral labour shortages are expected in the coming years, and this thriving industry is no exception. To keep up the rhythm, we must ensure the excellence and attractiveness of our training programs. We must convince our young people to work towards getting their diplomas in this field. It will also be to our advantage to hire qualified international workers in this sector. That being said, this certainly is a welcome problem: correctly managing the growth of an economic sector that is truly burgeoning,” concluded Michel Leblanc.
The interactive game industry employs 6,200 people in Quebec, 4,400 of whom are designers. In addition, about 80% of the jobs are concentrated in Montréal.
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of some 7,000 members. Its mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montréal and to provide individuals, merchants, and local businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity, and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is Quebec's leading private economic development organization.
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Source:
Sylvie Paquette
Coordinator, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montréal
Phone: 514-871-4000, extension 4015
sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca