Chad Bayne
Feb 5, 2016
Several of the big players in the world of high technology have opened offices and research labs in Canada, including Microsoft and Google. Now Apple is opening a 22,000 square foot space in Ottawa, the nation’s capital. The fact this space places Apple directly across from BlackBerry’s primarily automobile-focused QNX Software Systems has many speculating about the advent of Apple Car.
Other leaders in the tech industry who have offices in Canada include LinkedIn, Facebook, Shopify and Salesforce. There are many reasons bringing high tech to Canada, notably the quality of engineering grads from Canadian universities.
Chad Bayne, a partner with Osler, told Dexter Brown of Yahoo Canada Finance Insight Blog that, “The quality versus the cost of engineering talent is unparalleled in Canada. You can basically get high-quality engineers graduating from a number of schools in and around a lot of the major Canadian centres for a much cheaper cost than you would if you’re seeking them out in Silicon Valley or New York.”
Other opportunities attracting tech companies include corporate tax savings and incentives, affordable electricity and the weak Canadian dollar.
Bayne says Canada’s West Coast is a hot spot for high tech: “Facebook has established an office in Vancouver, and a lot of other companies are looking at that spot as well because of the geographical [proximity to] Silicon Valley.”
To find out more about why high tech companies – especially American high tech companies – are choosing to open offices in Canada, read Dexter Brown’s full article “6 reasons why Silicon Valley loves Canada” online at Yahoo Canada Finance, February 5, 2016.