Village Gamer

After more than a year of bringing change to the Canadian wireless consumer, WIND Mobile is changing the wireless market again, this time for businesses. With the launch of Unlimited Business Solutions, WIND Mobile is the first new, national wireless provider to offer fair prices to the Canadian business community.  WIND offers businesses the chance to create their own flexible solution that comes without a contract.

“Our offering is a game changer for small businesses,” said Ken Campbell, CEO of WIND Mobile. “I know from my own experience building WIND from the ground up that many small businesses are so busy they don’t have the time to look into cost-cutting options but these solutions offer a significant way to save on something that is essential to their success.”

WIND’s Unlimited Business Solutions offer businesses the ultimate flexibility to be agile and cope with constantly changing market conditions. Every business can mix and match plans for each team member, change plans as needed, and with no term-contracts, businesses don’t have to worry about penalties or cancellation fees. WIND also offers more deals as companies grow with savings of up to $5 per month on each additional line. This means a team of four can save more than $3,000 a year when compared to similar plans from the incumbents.

“Expanding into the small and medium business market in Canada is a natural next step for us,” said Scott Campbell, CMO for WIND Mobile. “WIND was the first to offer genuine 24/7 unlimited talk, text and data to consumers and many competitors have followed. Unlimited for business is something new and unique to WIND.”

Every plan offers free, unlimited national WIND-to-WIND calling and most offer 24/7 unlimited talk and text which means businesses don’t need to worry about exceeding minute limits.  WIND also never charges for incoming long-distance calls, as many competitors do, and offers $0.25 per minute roaming rates to and from anywhere across Canada and the US which is less expensive than the recently reduced rates of the incumbents.

Recognizing that business is often done anywhere but in an office today, WIND offers incredible value for hi-speed mobile Internet. Unlimited mobile Internet add-ons for smartphones are just $10 per month, and unlimited mobile Internet for laptops or tablets costs only $29 per month for up to 12 months. WIND also offers a full range of business friendly smartphones and data devices like the WINDspeed Data Stick that helps customers get work done just about anywhere.

The PROFIT HOT 50, which is celebrating its 12th anniversary, is Canada’s premier ranking and awards program for successful young businesses. Anyone who manages or knows of a fast-growing young company is invited to submit a nomination by completing the simple entry form before June 30th.  Candidates or nominators looking for more information can call the toll-free PROFIT HOT 50 hotline at 1-800-713-GROW or visit the Hot 50 web site.

PROFIT will honour Canada’s Top New Growth Companies in its October issue and at GrowthCamp, an exclusive summit at which HOT 50 leaders share ideas, learn from experts and make valuable new contacts. Past winners have called it the best business event they’ve ever attended. Winning firms are backed by a national publicity campaign that generates extensive consumer and trade-media coverage.

Past PROFIT HOT 50 winners include Robert Herjavec of Dragons’ Den; Tony Lacavera of Globalive Communications and Wind Mobile; and Stephan Cretier of Garda World Security, a billion-dollar global security firm.

Montreal-based regulated-gaming industry developer Amaya Gaming Group Inc. has closed its previously announced bought deal private placement of 3,300,000 common shares of its share capital (the “Common Shares”) at a price of CAD$3.10 per Common Share for aggregate gross proceeds of CAD$10,230,000 (the “Offering”). The Offering was conducted through a syndicate of underwriters led by Canaccord Genuity Corp. and including Laurentian Bank Securities Inc. (collectively, the “Underwriters”).

In addition, Amaya has granted the Underwriters an over-allotment option exercisable at any time, in whole or in part, up to 30 days from the closing of the Offering, to purchase up to that number of additional common shares of Amaya equal to 15% of the Common Shares sold pursuant to the Offering, to cover over-allotments, if any, and for market stabilization purposes (the “Over-Allotment Option”). If the Over-Allotment Option is exercised in full, the total gross proceeds to Amaya will be CAD$11,764,500.

Amaya intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for the Chartwell acquisition announced on May 12, 2011, for various online gaming initiatives as well as for general corporate and working capital purposes.

Amaya has paid the Underwriters an aggregate underwriting commission of CAD$613,800 and has granted the Underwriters compensation options (the “Compensation Options”) to purchase an aggregate number of 198,000 Common Shares, representing 6% of the total number of Common Shares sold pursuant to the Offering, at a price of CAD$3.10 per Common Share until June 15, 2013.

Amaya has received conditional listing approval from the TSX Venture Exchange for the Common Shares sold under the Offering, and the common shares underlying the Compensation Options.

The Common Shares issued as part of the Offering are subject to a four-month plus one day statutory resale restriction ending on October 16, 2011.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, or for the account or benefit of U.S. persons (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended).

THQ has announced that industry heavyweight Patrice Désilets has joined the THQ studio system as a creative director, working out of its Montreal video game development studio on a yet to be created title. Fresh off a yearlong break from the industry, Désilets will be charged with leading a dynamic team that will create and develop original intellectual properties for THQ.

“The creative freedom that THQ gives its artists and developers–and their willingness to make games that truly reflect an artistic vision–really drew me to THQ,” said Désilets. “I plan to build an incredibly talented team at THQ, and am very anxious to get started on creating a new project.”

“Working with the top talent in the industry is one of THQ’s key strategies for creating bold, original, and high-quality games,” said Danny Bilson, THQ’s Executive Vice President of Core Games. “Patrice Désilets is one of the most innovative minds in games, and has proven it by leading the teams behind some of the most influential games of the past and current consoles. Needless to say, THQ can’t wait to unleash his talent.”

Patrice Désilets will join THQ’s already impressive roster of notable industry artists, including Double Fine’s Tim Schafer, Guillermo del Toro, who is teaming with THQ’s Volition, Inc. to develop inSANE, and Valhalla Game Studio’s Itagaki-san as he develops Devil’s Third.

Before joining THQ, Désilets served as a creative director on the Assassin’s Creed franchise, as well as Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Désilets holds a bachelor’s degree in film studies from the University of Montreal and he is represented by the Creative Artists Agency.

Distribution360 today announced at the Banff World Media Festival the sale of Splatalot (26 x 30’ episodes) to TÉLÉTOON. The French Canadian broadcaster has acquired rights to the French language version of the series set to air this fall. marblemedia produced three original localized English versions of Splatalot for YTV in Canada, BBC in the UK, and ABC in Australia.

Splatalot is a hilarious medieval-themed physical game show geared to the 8-12 year-old audience. The 26-part series features a larger-than-life extreme obstacle course with more splats and spills than ever imaginable. Each episode features a different group of 12 thrill-seeking teen contestants, dubbed Attackers, competing in three hilarious rounds: Cross the Moat, Escape the Stockade, and Capture the Crown. The Defenders of Splatalot, an international squad of nine costumed gladiators, do their best to protect the castle from the Attackers—leaving only one to be crowned King or Queen of Splatalot.

“We’re thrilled to be able to bring the fun of Splatalot to audiences in French Canada,” says Stéphanie Röckmann-Portier, Head of Sales, Distribution360. “This series is a great example of a format that works well in international markets and across different languages.”

“TELETOON has been a longtime partner of ours, and we’re very excited to be working with them on this version of Splatalot for French Canada,” says Matt Hornburg, the series’ co-creator and Partner at marblemedia. “The ratings are consistently showing that Splatalot attracts a very strong co-viewing audience of both kids and parents because it’s so much fun to watch together. Matt adds, “This has definitely been a major contributing factor to the show’s success.”

Splatalot was produced with the financial participation of the Canada Media Fund, Shaw Rocket Fund, and Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) warns all Canadians to beware of telephone calls, mail, or email that claim to be from the CRA but are not. These are phishing scams that could result in identity thefts.

Canadians should especially beware of phishing scams asking for their personal information, such as a social insurance, credit card, bank account, and passport numbers. Some of these scams ask for this personal information directly, and others refer the taxpayer to a Web site resembling the CRA’s where the person is asked to verify their identity by entering personal information.

An email scam that has been recently circulating notifies taxpayers that a complaint containing evidence of involvement in tax evasion has been filed against them and the company with which they are affiliated by using the Informant Leads Program. This email is not from the CRA. The CRA’s Informant Leads Program Web page warns taxpayers about this scam.

The CRA has well-established practices to protect the confidentiality of taxpayer information. For more information about security of taxpayer information and examples of fraudulent communications, go to the CRA’s Security Info Page.

Anyone who receives a suspicious communication should immediately report it to the Anti-Fraud Centre or to the institution that it appears to be from.

For information on scams, to report deceptive telemarketing, and if personal or financial information has been unwittingly provided, go to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Web page.

In its second news statement of the day, Spin Master Ltd., this time with Mind Candy, one of the world’s fastest growing social online gaming companies have announced the upcoming launch of an official toy line based on its safe online social networking platform for children, Moshi Monsters. The product assortment, which will be available across the U.S. exclusively at Toys”R”Us stores and online at Toysrus.com in late July, will feature six adorable plush Moshi Monsters characters, as well as 32 Moshling minifigures manufactured by Spin Master Ltd.

“We know that web-savvy kids want to enjoy tangible experiences with their favorite virtual properties, and the Moshi Monsters toy line delivers these experiences in a big way,” said Richard Barry, Vice President, General Merchandise Manager, Toys”R”Us, U.S. “We are thrilled to be the only U.S. retailer to provide kids the opportunity to bring Moshi Monsters into the physical world.”

Moshi Monsters is a new form of children’s entertainment, with its website forming the heart of the experience, combines adoptable pet monsters, safe social networking, stories, games, missions, virtual interaction and educational puzzles. The site has become hugely successful over the last year, growing at the rate of one new registration every second – with the fastest growth across North America. Recently, Moshi Monsters welcomed its 50 millionth registered user worldwide. Read the rest of this entry »

Canadian Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., the parent company of XM Canada, and Sirius Canada Inc. have released a statement that the final regulatory and government approvals related to the proposed merger announced in November, 2010 have been received.

The Merger is now currently scheduled to close on June 21, 2011 contemporaneously with the closing of CSR’s refinancing. CSR’s refinancing consists of an exchange offer and consent solicitation for its 12.75% Senior Notes due 2014 and a concurrent private placement offering of its 9.75% Senior Notes due 2018. The expiration date of the Exchange Offer is now set for June 16, 2011. The Exchange Offer and Concurrent Offering were undertaken in order to refinance certain debt of CSR in connection with the Merger. As of the date hereof, US$68.83 million aggregate principal amount of Existing Notes have been tendered in the Exchange Offer. The New Notes have not been, and will not be, qualified for distribution to the public under the securities laws of any province or territory of Canada or registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933.

On November 24, 2010, CSR and Sirius Canada entered into a securities purchase agreement to combine the companies in an all-stock merger.  On February 17, 2011, CSR received the support of its shareholders to approve the Merger.  On April 19, 2011, the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission rendered its regulatory approval of the transaction.

Both Canadian Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. and Sirius Canada Inc. want readers to note that this statement does not constitute an offer to purchase or sell any securities. Any offer to purchase or sell securities will be made by means of an offering memorandum. No offer, solicitation, purchase or sale will be made in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation, purchase or sale would be unlawful.

Technoparc Montréal is thrilled by the City of Montreal’s 2011-2017 Economic Development Strategy, spearheaded by Mayor Gérald Tremblay and Executive Committee Vice President, Richard Deschamps, an initiative aimed at capitalizing on the knowledge and creativity already present in Montreal.

Technoparc Montréal is fully behind the City’s commitment to increase strategic partnerships and alliances with a view to building bridges between businesses and to increasing innovation and creativity in Montreal. The City’s ongoing PR@M Industry program and new PR@M Innovation are also excellent tools that will help support Montreal’s future development.

Today’s major international cities must offer nearby services and dynamic employment zones that serve multiple purposes and are readily accessible to workers. “The advantage of living in an urban environment is the ability to work, live and play in the same general area,” explains Mario Monette, President and CEO of Technoparc Montréal. “The City’s new strategy will keep Montreal young and relevant on the eve of its 375^th anniversary and will shore up its positioning as a premier city of creativity and innovation.”

Technoparc Montréal’s mission is to support the Island of Montreal’s economic development through the emergence of world-class innovation poles and research centres in the following sectors: aerospace, life sciences, information technology, clean technology, agri-food and renewable energy.

FreshBooks has come up with a unique solution to ensure the rotating postal strike does not affect small business owners in Toronto. Mail delivery has been drastically affected since the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) commenced a strike in Toronto on June 13th.

“We recognize that delivering invoices is a lifeline to independent business owners,” says FreshBooks CEO Mike McDerment. “We want to show our commitment to making billing activities as painless as possible. Our customers are looked after since FreshBooks allows anyone to send their invoices online. We thought this was an interesting way to help out other people who are affected and show them that we’re serious about our commitment to helping everyone get paid.”

FreshBooks is offering to pick up and hand-deliver invoices to anywhere in Metro Toronto area. The company has equipped a special vehicle to safely transport invoices today. This offer is available to any small business affected (not just FreshBooks customers) and exclusively for invoices.

A delivery day is scheduled for Wednesday June 15^th contingent on Toronto mail services remaining restricted and for people sending invoices within the Metro Toronto region. Delivery can be arranged by contacting freshbooks with pickup details.

“To us,” says McDerment, “painless billing means that you can rely on the systems supporting your business even during periods of uncertainty.”