Ontario to set aside $1 million over 2 years for esports scholarship program

The Ontario government says it’s launching a new scholarship for post-secondary students enrolled in programs related to esports.

The province says it is setting aside $1 million over two years for the scholarship, which will offer financial assistance to students in programs related to the game design, development, marketing and innovation industry.

The funding will be made available through eligible, publicly supported colleges and universities.

The government says students will be granted scholarships this fall.

Colleges and Universities Minister Jill Dunlop says the scholarship will help students prepare for careers in the video game and esports sector, a rapidly growing industry in Ontario.

The government says the province is home to 298 video game companies, the most out of any region in Canada.