(Photo: Canadian Press)

Netflix plans to open an office in Canada, a move the giant calls the “first big step” in creating content in the country.

Netflix’s co-CEO and chief content officer, Ted Sarandos, said the California-based company was still in the process of locating the office.

But it leans toward Toronto or Vancouver, where the company has many products in both markets.

Two years ago, Netflix announced plans to set up a production center in Toronto by renting two studios along the downtown industrial waterfront.

Mr. Sarandos explained that adding an office in Canada would allow Netflix executives to get close to Canadian innovators, so they can build relationships and get project ideas on the ground.

He added that Netflix executives can also be on the ground at home and can “keep up with what’s happening in Canada’s creative community.”

“You should see this as an important first step,” Sarandos said in an interview from Montecito, California.

“We are not going to put one person in a small office in a city, in one place in Canada. We seek to develop our relationships with the creative community in Canada. And thus they will be geographically open like Canada.”

In French and English

Netflix has 21 offices worldwide, including in Amsterdam and Rome.

Sarandos said that for the Canadian site, the company is in the process of appointing a local content manager and hopes to introduce this person “very soon”.

The content manager will be a reference person to guide creators in their interactions with Netflix as they attempt to present their programming in a variety of genres on the service, either in English or French.

“This will be someone who has a very close relationship with the creative community, he will be a good sponsor and a good ambassador, and he will help develop content from Canada for the whole world, on Netflix,” said Mr. Sarandos.

The company also plans to expand the number of Canadian office workers to include services such as marketing and advertising.

Netflix recently celebrated its 10th year in Canada and has seven million Canadian subscribers.

Mr Sarandos said Quebec is also a major investment hub for Netflix for visual effects and animation, and the company intends to continue that presence.

In 2017, Netflix pledged to spend $ 500 million to fund original content made in Canada over five years, and it has already achieved that goal.