Columnist Attacks Ubisoft Toronto Deal

Columnist Attacks Ubisoft Toronto Deal

July 11, 2009

The recent news that the government of Ontario would fork over $263 million to Ubisoft for a new studio in Toronto remains controversial. In today's Globe & Mail columnist Marcus Gee is beside himself over the decision:

With a budget deficit of $18.5-billion, your provincial government is strapped - but not so strapped that it can't find a quarter of a billion in the pocket lint to pay some Frenchmen to set up a new video-game studio...

 

Ubisoft executives say they are in love with Toronto... But game developers are a footloose bunch, jumping from place to place in search of talent and government handouts... Who is to say they won't jump across the pond when the [U.K.] tax picture changes. Or when currency-exchange rates make Canada less desirable...

 

That quarter-billion has to come from somewhere, much of it from good Toronto businesses that don't have the buzz factor... Their tax burden will rise, and their business will suffer, while the cool kids in the video-game industry collect government cheques.

Meanwhile, David Olive at The Star seems cautiously optimistic about the Ubisoft deal:

Corporate welfare is tough to justify at the best of times... Could there be better uses of public money than developing the next generation of Assassin's Creed... And at a cost of $329,000 for each of the up to 800 workers to be employed by the new Ubisoft Toronto?

On balance, the investment is probably wise...

Posted in

Comments

Re: Columnist Attacks Ubisoft Toronto Deal
Submitted by Pinworm - July 11, 2009 at 7:06 am -0500

Once again, the government isn't paying anyone nor are they giving anyone cheques in this deal, it's simply a tax relief, making it cheaper for them to set up shop.

 

They're still going to pay taxes, the government will just collect a bit less. A bit less by the way, is a lot more than nothing.

Re: Columnist Attacks Ubisoft Toronto Deal
Submitted by JB - July 11, 2009 at 4:12 pm -0500

Please. No decent journalist is going to let facts and truth get in the way of a good sensationalized story. Truth doesn't sell stories anymore. Won't someone think of the children? Etc. Etc.

 

I need a beer.

Re: Columnist Attacks Ubisoft Toronto Deal
Submitted by KayleL - July 11, 2009 at 8:38 am -0500

but not so strapped that it can't find a quarter of a billion in the pocket lint to pay some Frenchmen to set up a new video-game studio...

Now that just seems prejudice against French people more then anything.

Re: Columnist Attacks Ubisoft Toronto Deal
Submitted by Tristram - July 11, 2009 at 8:55 am -0500

Also, provinces are seperate enough that they squabble over who is paying the most taxes where.

 

Edit: I am an idiot, and apparently Ubisoft is from france. I was assuming this was a "you give tax breaks to quebecois companies" issue.

Re: Columnist Attacks Ubisoft Toronto Deal
Submitted by Speeder - July 11, 2009 at 8:50 am -0500

Canada is such bizarre place...

 

Seriously, french and english togheter in the same place, with one continously hating each other, but refusing to separate...

 

It is like two kids that decided that they both own a toy (own alone that is...), and ended sharing the toy because none of them want to give it away to the other...

 

criadordejogos.wordpress.com

Re: Columnist Attacks Ubisoft Toronto Deal
Submitted by GoodRobotUs - July 11, 2009 at 10:23 am -0500

OMG! Frenchmen in Ontario! Hide your children!

Re: Columnist Attacks Ubisoft Toronto Deal
Submitted by mdo7 - July 11, 2009 at 10:35 am -0500

 

but not so strapped that it can't find a quarter of a billion in the pocket lint to pay some Frenchmen to set up a new video-game studio...

 

Whoa, Racist much.  I guess this guy has something the French.

 

mikedo2007

 

 

Re: Columnist Attacks Ubisoft Toronto Deal
Submitted by Parallax Abstraction - July 12, 2009 at 2:51 am -0500

I don't think racist means what you think it means.

Parallax Abstraction
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
blog.digital-lifeline.ca

Re: Columnist Attacks Ubisoft Toronto Deal
Submitted by Neo_DrKefka - July 11, 2009 at 12:24 pm -0500

If the French had it their own way they would leave Canada and bring Quebec with it.

 

Re: Columnist Attacks Ubisoft Toronto Deal
Submitted by Philippe - July 11, 2009 at 1:53 pm -0500

Slow news week?

Re: Columnist Attacks Ubisoft Toronto Deal
Submitted by Andrew Eisen - July 11, 2009 at 2:38 pm -0500

No, why do you ask?

 

Andrew Eisen

Re: Columnist Attacks Ubisoft Toronto Deal
Submitted by DarkSaber - July 12, 2009 at 5:48 am -0500

Probably because we have had 3 stories about this in a week when the first would have sufficed. In my opinion.

--------------------------------------------------

I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.

Re: Columnist Attacks Ubisoft Toronto Deal
Submitted by Andrew Eisen - July 12, 2009 at 6:18 am -0500

Nah, that can't be it.  There were over 30 other stories published in the last week.

 

Andrew Eisen

Re: Columnist Attacks Ubisoft Toronto Deal
Submitted by Trails - July 13, 2009 at 10:36 am -0500

"Or when currency-exchange rates make Canada less desirable"

Um, what?  While the exchange rate has fluctuated some, it's still quite high as compared to the american dollar.  In other words it's ALREADY "less" desireable.  Chances are the the canadian $ will become cheaper as compared to the USD, so this is unlikely in the extreme.

Further Ubisoft has massive investments in Quebec, so the exchange of the CAD is not something new to them.

Re: Columnist Attacks Ubisoft Toronto Deal
Submitted by helend22 - July 14, 2009 at 2:09 pm -0500

There's no shortage of RPGs on the market these days (certainly different from when I was growing up!), bu tthat doesn't mean fans of the genre aren't always on the lookout for good new ones. Surely the ears of those fans will perk up when they hear that Ubisoft is working on a new fantasy-themed RPG. bad credit payday loans

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