Alberta’s NDP says it will reintroduce a tax credit they say will create jobs, draw investment and spur growth in Alberta’s highly-competitive interactive and digital media sector if elected in 2023. .In a news conference at Calgary-based New World Interactive on Friday, Alberta NDP Jobs Critic Deron Bilous announced that an NDP government would restore the Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit (IDMTC) "in our first budget if we are elected".The NDP said the credit is a 25% on wages, salaries and bonuses paid to employees working to create interactive digital products such as video games, training simulation, and film special effects..An additional 5% top-up would be offered to companies hiring from under-represented demographics, including women, indigenous people and people with disabilities..“We want everyone from the smallest studios to the biggest names in the industry to call Alberta home," Bilous said.."That’s why an NDP government will level the playing field with other provinces and help Alberta companies start and grow their studios and talent here, not look for greener pastures somewhere else.".The IDMTC was repealed by the UCP government in 2019 against the advice from industry experts and the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. At the time, Jason Kenney called it a “boutique” program..“Under our leadership, Alberta studios will be poised for rapid expansion after three years of limited growth under the UCP. Together, we can draw more global investment and create more jobs in this industry.” Bilous said..According to a report issued last year from the Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESAC), Alberta is now missing out on investment and losing ground to other jurisdictions. Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia all offer competitive tax credits to foster video game development..Mitchell Hart, People and Experience Manager at New World Interactivein Calgary, said the reintroduction of the tax credit would allow "New World to grow within Alberta instead of looking to other jurisdictions when hiring, and help foster a stronger ecosystem for relevant post-secondary programs and the development of new intellectual property.".“We are a studio that actively values happiness, inclusivity, teamwork, and creativity, with an emphasis on being people-first with our staff," Hart said.."New World is aggressively recruiting talent across the board to produce next-level experiences for our players. If Alberta’s tax incentive was brought back it would enable us to grow and expand our Calgary and Alberta presence as we continue to fill our many open roles at this time.".The video game industry alone currently contributes roughly $5.5 billion to the Canadian economy, according to Digital Alberta, with the largest concentration of studios in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia.."We want to expand that growth into all forms of interactive digital media."
