Canadian officials wooing UK developers

Government officials from the Canada are attempting to attract British developers to Nova Scotia abroad with tax breaks.

Following the axing of tax relief for the UK games industry in last month's emergency budget, many had suggested that Canada would prove a more attractive territory to publishers, due to existing games tax breaks.

Now Novia Scotia is taking the initiative, sending delegates here next week to woo British talent, reports CBC.

"We think it's a great match for Nova Scotia," said premier Darrel Dexter. "It fits with our skills development program, it fits with the universities, it fits with the number of young people we have," he said.

"The reality is that the current government in the UK has completely cancelled all of their media tax credits. As a result thereof, there is a considerable interest in many of those companies looking for other jurisdictions."

The province of Nova Scotia has passed several pieces of economic legislation intended to attract and nurture small businesses. For games specifically, the NSBI development agency offers a Digital Media Tax Credit of 25 per cent of production costs, with an extra five per cent for non-metropolitan regions.

Dexter also intends to lure developers from the New England area of America.