New media is part of the new information economy, and its roots lie in computer graphics and in creative specialized services used in motion picture production, advertising, and other programming especially for television. This paper examines the similarities and differences between Canada's three new media concentrations in the metropolitan centres of Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal. It investigates whether the industry emerged from similar activities and whether differences in the pattern of development in each region explain contemporary new media activities. It evaluates differences in local market opportunities and whether local specializations have emerged. The third focus is on the predominance of small firms in new media and whether there are differences in the social foundations of production.