News Release

For Immediate Release
September 30, 2008

LEADING THE GLOBAL DIGITAL ECONOMY

McGuinty Government Supporting Research To Create Jobs, Stronger Economy

NEWS

The McGuinty government is helping Ontario stay ahead of the curve in the booming digital media market.
 
Ontario is investing $3.5 million in digital media research projects that will power new technology, build new products and create new jobs. Promising research projects receiving funding include:

• Creating the next generation of wireless communications, led by  Dr. Slim Boumaiza (University of Waterloo), and
• Developing educational computer simulations to make history come alive for Ontario students, led by Dr. Kevin Kee (Brock University).

The global digital media market – everything from special effects, to cell phones, to electronic art – is projected to reach US $1.48 trillion by 2009. With 800 firms employing 18,000 people, Ontario is well positioned to take advantage of this emerging market.

Supporting innovation is part of the McGuinty government’s five-point plan for growing Ontario’s economy.

QUOTES

“Today’s investment is an important part of our government’s $3-billion Ontario Innovation Agenda – our plan to make innovation the driving force of the provincial economy. We are committed to help our top researchers turn their best ideas into new products and services that will lead to good-paying jobs right here in Ontario,” said Minister of Research and Innovation John Wilkinson. 

“Our brightest researchers are contributing to the success of our red hot digital media industry and creating a stronger future for our province,” said Aileen Carroll, Minister of Culture.

“University research and discoveries are important engines of economic growth in today’s global, knowledge-based economy,” said Paul C. Genest, President of the Council for Ontario Universities.

QUICK FACTS

• Today’s announcement is part of $37 million worth of investments that the government is making this fall through the Ontario Research Fund. The funding will support the efforts of more than 1,800 researchers working on more than 200 projects at 17 institutions across Ontario.
• The province's entertainment and creative cluster is the third largest in North America by employment after California and New York State. Over the past five years, nearly every film nominated for a special effects Oscar has used technology developed in Ontario.
• DALSA is just one example of an Ontario-based company that started as an idea in a lab at an Ontario university and is now a global industry leader, employing more than 1,000 people that design, engineer and manufacture some of most advanced imaging technology in the world. The next James Bond motion picture, "Quantum of Solace," starring Daniel Craig as James Bond, will feature a complex visual effects shot captured with eight DALSA 4K Origin cameras.

LEARN MORE

Learn more about the Ontario Research Fund.

Learn more about Ontario’s Innovation Agenda.

---

See also:

• Backgrounder: Driving the Next Generation of Digital, Information And Communications Technologies
• Backgrounder: Digital Media And Information And Communication Technologies Research Projects
• Recipients