Information Technology

Ontario is home to the second-largest IT cluster in North America, where industry giants like Amazon, IBM, Google, Cisco and Shopify invest in major R&D operations.

In addition to the investment potential of the province, international buyers have discovered that Ontario IT companies can provide high-value, highly advanced technologies and services at very competitive prices.

We wanted to build a global tech company with an HQ in Ottawa, Ontario... I’m proud to announce that we’ve hired our 1,000th employee right here in Canada’s capital.

Harley Finkelstein
Chief Operating Officer, Shopify

Ontario’s IT Industry by the Numbers

An R&D powerhouse

Ontario’s impressive R&D infrastructure has garnered attention from globally recognized tech companies such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, IBM and Amazon. Established anchor companies, including home-grown giants (BlackBerry and OpenText), leading technology innovators (Shopify), and major multinationals (IBM and Ericsson), have global R&D centres right here in Ontario.

Unparalleled talent

Ontario accounts for approximately 48.5% of all IT workers in Canada
Graduates from the University of Waterloo are the 2^nd most frequently hired by Silicon Valley companies
Toronto ranks 3^rd in North America for the fastest growing tech talent
Approximately 88,000 IT jobs will be created by 2021, with total sector growth reaching 670,000

A concentration of world-renowned research institutes

Ontario has access to top researchers and institutes who work collaboratively with businesses to create innovative game-changing solutions.

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Select Ontario IT research centres and institutes

Ontario’s Circuit Board: IoT, Smart Cities and 5G

The Internet of Things (IoT) extends internet connectivity into physical devices and everyday objects, allowing them to be monitored and controlled over the internet, communicating real-time data without human interaction.

IoT can enhance sectors like automotive, health care, and cybersecurity – and with the implementation of 5G, the wait isn’t far off. Ontario is at the forefront of this transformative tech and the perfect location for the industry’s most exciting IoT companies to scale their business. Such companies already include ATS Automation Tooling Systems, Teledyne Dalsa and Prodomax.

Next-generation networks and 5G are presenting new opportunities for innovations like Smart Cities. Ontario is actively investing in the development of Smart Cities with three tech hubs in Toronto, Kitchener, and Mississauga, each focusing on a different facet to make Smart Cities a reality in the near future. 5G is the stepping stone that will revolutionize IoT and Smart Cities to our digital landscape.