When it comes to games and gaming it might be their neighbor to the south that makes all the headlines, but Canada’s no slouch either. It has one of the fastest-emerging gaming scenes in terms of businesses involved in the sector and a gaming population that is steadily increasing.
Back in 2021, it was reckoned that 61% of people were gamers. Now that figure of 23 million Canadians is set to increase going forward.
So, it’s no big surprise that the biggest thing to happen in gaming in recent years – esports – is also making some major inroads into the country.
Big business
This is seen as a major opportunity for Canada to establish an esports infrastructure that can support businesses involved in the sector and attract major tournaments to the country. There are already several businesses established; these include Luminosity Gaming and Rivalry. The latter have made a name for themselves in offering esports betting markets which have been immensely popular. Most forms of online gambling are a hit in Canada, so much so that there are now thousands of providers, the tricky part for players can be finding a trusted site due to the overall quality being diluted by less reliable providers. Comparison sites are on hand to point players in the right direction so they can play games like online slots for real money with the knowledge the games will be worthy of their time.
Players and teams
It’s also a very happy coincidence that many of the most popular games in Canada also happen to be big e-sports favorites. These include Valorant, Counter-Strike, League of Legends, Call of Duty, Fortnite and Dota 2.
So, there’s a growing band of players who are becoming well-known on the international stage which includes names like Tyson ‘TenZ’ Ngo, Russel ‘Twistzz’ Van Dulken, and Joseph Joon Pyun.
There are also several players and coaches in the Rocket League including Jacob Knapman, a.k.a. JKnaps, and Sasha ‘Scarlett’ Hostyn, one of the world’s leading players of Starcraft 2.
Tournaments and venues
Of course, an integral part of establishing a real presence on the esports map is attracting events and having the venues to hold them.
Luckily, there’s no shortage of events with tournaments planned mainly in the country’s two main esports cities, Toronto and Montreal.
2025 will also see the opening of a brand-new venue in Toronto being developed by Overactive Media. With a 7,000 capacity, this will be a multi-purpose entertainment center that is also home to the city’s two e-sports teams, Toronto Ultra of the Call of Duty League and Toronto Defiant of the Overwatch League.
Government recognition
Despite being committed to helping start-ups flourish, especially in the tech world, the Canadian Government has yet to give esports any official recognition. However regional administrations have been more forthcoming with specific strategies of support.
Leading the way has been Vancouver whose Economic Commission is using insights already gained to draw up a series of recommendations to make the city an official hub.
A similarly robust esports eco-system is being developed in Alberta, courtesy of a conglomeration of official bodies including the Edmonton Screen Industries Office and Tourism Calgary along with the Alberta Esports Association.
2023 also saw the launch of Toronto’s official Esports Strategy with the stated aim of making the city the country’s leading hub.
Education, education, education
In what might have been unthinkable even a few years ago, there are now also many educational opportunities for young people wanting to make a career for themselves in esports. Currently, there are about a dozen diploma and degree courses covering different areas of esports as well as others that include relevant work experience.
Some educational establishments are also creating facilities specifically for e-sports. St Clair College in Windsor, Ontario has recently added The Nexus, a 15,000-square-foot space for use by varsity teams and other students.
Alongside this, a lively inter-collegiate esports scene is developing joining more traditional sports like hockey and football.
Challenges and obstacles
As with establishing any new sporting venture, especially one as different as e-sports, there are always going to be issues to be ironed out and resolved.
The most critical of these will be to establish a country-wide infrastructure beyond the main population centers of Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. There is a definite need for more venues where players can compete and hone their skills. International recognition and respect are also key and having a sound infrastructure is a way to earn this.
There’s also the question of getting esports accepted as a mainstream and legitimate activity by the general public. Many will still see it as simply playing video games, not as a “proper” sport. So, a PR and education campaign may be needed to convince the doubters.
That said, the momentum is building in both areas and more. So, it really shouldn’t be too long until Canada is a leading name in the highly competitive, and lucrative, world of e-sports.
