According to the CBRE, 2020 Tech Talent Report, Canada’s capital has the highest tech talent concentration in North America. Ottawa outperforms high-profile tech hubs such as San Francisco, with tech talent representing 11.3% of total employment—and that number is steadily increasing. In June 2020 alone, Ottawa’s tech sector added 1,100 net new jobs.
Ottawa’s tech ecosystem is strongly supported by a world-class education system, excellent quality of life and great value such as affordable office space and residential real estate. Ottawa consistently gets ranked as having the best value for talent alongside larger cities like Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. Ottawa-based researchers, scientists and developers are building game-changing solutions in today’s disruptive technologies. The R&D community is supported by 65 government research labs and fueled by graduates from STEM programs at six local post-secondary institutions.
Canada’s capital has been a successful hub for technology companies of all sizes, anchored by the top five enterprise software vendors (Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, IBM and EMC-Dell) and homegrown global champions (Blackberry QNX, ProntoForms, You.i TV, Martello Technologies and Page Cloud). Software-as-a-Service (SAAS), data analytics, and artificial intelligence-based solutions are constantly being developed at companies across the city, powering innovative technologies like autonomous vehicles, e-commerce, Smart City initiatives, and the Internet of Things. Headquartered in Ottawa, the Shopify cloud-based e-commerce platform services 377,500 businesses across 150 countries and is among Canada’s top R&B spenders.
It is no wonder that Ottawa is a great place for tech talent to study, live, work and meet! Tech meetings hosted in Canada’s capital benefit from access to talented speakers, exceptional venues, and potential sponsorship opportunities. All of this gives an organization the chance to have a long-term impact and lasting legacy in their sector.
The city is home to well-known events such as SAAS NORTH, Canada’s original annual SAAS conference
which was co-founded in 2016 by L-Spark corporation and Cube Business Media Inc. Each year, founders, investors, executives and service providers who wish to scale globally gather at Rogers Centre Ottawa (formerly Shaw Centre) in Ottawa to share resources and networking opportunities. This year, SAAS NORTH NOW is being held virtually September 9 -10, 2020, and is expecting more than 2,000 attendees, 900 companies and 100 speakers.
Canada’s capital is constantly working to attract more tech conferences to the city. Three of Ottawa’s pillar economic development organizations – Ottawa Tourism, Rogers Centre Ottawa, and Invest Ottawa – are supporting local industry leaders in their international conference bids through the Think Ottawa program.
