Video Games Business Development Program

• Maximum financial assistance per application: $200,000 (non-repayable).
• Total program budget: $1,000,000.
• At least 75% of eligible expenses must be incurred in British Columbia.
• Travel expenses are eligible up to a limit of 10% of the total allocated funding per project.
• Funds must be used within 12 months from receipt, unless an extension is granted.

• The applicant must be a for-profit corporation incorporated in British Columbia or federally, with its head office located in British Columbia (companies from other provinces registered in BC are not eligible).
• The company must be Canadian-owned and controlled, with a majority of voting shares held by BC residents who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents having lived in BC for at least 200 days within the last 365 days and who filed a BC tax return for the most recent fiscal year.
• The main business activity must be the creation of video games for digital platforms (such as computers, mobile devices, consoles, or virtual reality), with the majority of products being content owned and controlled or optioned by the applicant.
• The applicant and all related parties must be in good standing with Creative BC and the Canada Media Fund (CMF).
• The applicant must demonstrate intermediate or advanced experience in video game production, or in the case of a new start-up, at least one owner must have such experience per specified criteria.

Who is eligible?

• Companies whose primary business activity is the creation and development of video games for digital platforms, including computers, mobile devices, consoles, and virtual reality.
• For-profit corporations incorporated in British Columbia or federally with headquarters in British Columbia.

Who is not eligible

• Companies whose primary business activity is not the development of video games for digital platforms (such as those mainly creating websites, mobile apps, interactive or immersive projects, or software applications not clearly considered video games).
• Companies registered in other provinces, even if they are also registered in British Columbia.
• Companies that do not have Canadian ownership and control as defined under the Investment Canada Act.
• Companies whose projects or activities have already received direct funding from other programs administered by the Canada Media Fund (CMF) or Creative BC.
• Companies intending to use funds for ineligible expenses, such as capital projects (acquisition or renovation of lands and buildings), debt repayment, working capital replenishment, or operating loss compensation.

Eligible expenses

• Promotion and marketing activities.
• User acquisition strategies.
• Personnel and labour costs.
• Technology, content, and design-related expenses.
• Expenses associated with publishing content online or developing applications, including rights clearance, documentation, design, and development.
• Technical and administrative expenses.
• Travel costs (accommodation, transportation, per diems), up to 10% of the total allocation.
• Legal, accounting, and other professional consulting fees.
• Activities aimed at opening foreign markets.
• Quality assurance and usability testing sessions.

Eligible geographic areas

• British Columbia, Canada

• Experience of the company and overall strategic vision.
• Clarity of the funding request, including objectives, needs, and anticipated outcomes, as well as the likelihood of positive impact on the video game sector in British Columbia.
• Stability and financial health of the company.

• The application portal opens on August 30, 2024, and closes on November 4, 2024, at 11:59 PM ET.
• Applicants must reference the "Des jeux inclusifs" report to enhance inclusion in their business practices.
• All applicants and recipients must adhere to Creative BC’s Code of Conduct and maintain a workplace free from harassment, discrimination, and violence.
• Grant recipients are required to publicly acknowledge Creative BC and the Canada Media Fund in their communications about project funding.