(Charlottetown) Prince Edward Island dominates the other Atlantic Provinces in the latest round of funding from the Canada New Media Fund. Six out of the eight projects from Atlantic Canada receiving funding for 2009-2010 are from PEI companies.

Island video game developers Bight Interactive, Other Ocean and Telos International were all successful, some for multiple projects. In Atlantic Canada, Nova Scotia companies received funding for two projects. No projects were funded from New Brunswick or Newfoundland.

“We are absolutely delighted with PEI’s strong showing with the Canada New Media Fund,” says Mark Sandiford, president of the Interactive Media Alliance of PEI, “This shows that PEI continues to be the dominant player in the interactive media sector in Atlantic Canada.”

PEI’s six video game and animation studios currently employ over 110 people, mostly programmers and artists, creating a high demand for these skills in the province. To meet that demand, the University of Prince Edward Island is now offering a video game programming specialization and Holland College has initiated a video game art and design program.

The Canada New Media Fund is a national program of the Department of Canadian Heritage and is administered by Telefilm Canada. It provides $14.3 million to promote the creation and distribution of interactive digital cultural content products.

The interactive media industry is one of Canada’s success stories. It currently employs 52,100 and is growing at rate of 17.4% a year .

“The Government of PEI recognized the potential of this industry early on and was able to jump-start the creation of the interactive media industry in the province,” says Sandiford. “Now that foresight is really beginning to pay off. This industry is a perfect fit for the Island’s emerging knowledge economy. We are providing rewarding, creative and well-paid work to young Islanders in an industry that has nowhere to go but up. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Province to maintain our lead and build on it.”

The PEI projects receiving Canada New Media Fund support are:
• Bightsized Games, Bight Interactive Inc
• Cognitive Fitness Game, Telos International Inc
• Llama Country, Bight Interactive Inc
• Puffins Episodes 1.2.3!, Other Ocean Group Canada Company
• Puffins Island Adventure, Other Ocean Group Canada Company
• Puzzlings 2, Bight Interactive Inc