Canada’s capital Ottawa’s technology landscape is seeing CAD$1.22bn (US$900m) invested and 3,900 jobs created over five years, and that is fuelling tech-led conference business.
Ottawa claims the highest concentration of tech talent in North America. With decades of disruptive tech expertise, capabilities and companies, the city continues to establish itself as a leading destination for international business events and conferences, particularly in tech and business sectors. This growth is helped by the city’s dynamic and rapidly expanding tech ecosystem, combined with its rich cultural and educational landscape.
In 2023, Ottawa hosted a range of engineering and tech conferences including: the International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers and the 28th IAVSD Symposium on Dynamics of Vehicles on Roads and on Tracks. A further dozen conferences were also hosted across various tech sectors, five of which were international. And 2024 already has four confirmed tech events coming to the city, with a further six expected to be announced.
Ottawa boasts over 1,800 knowledge-based businesses in the National Capital Region. Specific sector strengths span software, AI, smart mobility, cybersecurity, digital health and more. Global giants like Nokia, Ford, Ericsson, Ciena and IBM share the Ottawa ecosystem with homegrown heroes such as Kinaxis, Shopify, Ross Video, Fullscript and Mitel, and startups and scale-ups like Rewind, Fellow, Noibu, Assent, Solink and Mindbridge.
The Invest Ottawa agency continues to deliver on venture development, global expansion and talent programmes and services designed to catalyse the growth and success of entrepreneurs and firms. Since 2013, Invest Ottawa has supported almost 14,000 companies, contributed to the creation of more than 14,700 jobs, helped domestic companies raise CAD$1.86bn in capital and attracted CAD$1.47bn in domestic and foreign direct investment to Ottawa. The CBRE 2023 North American Top Tech Talent Report notes that Ottawa has the highest concentration of tech talent across 50 North American markets at 13.3% of all jobs, more than double the 50-market average.
Sonya Shorey, president and CEO, Invest Ottawa, Area X.O and Bayview Yards, says: “Ottawa’s burgeoning status as a tech hub is a direct result of our commitment to creating an environment where innovation, entrepreneurship, and growing businesses can flourish. The increasing number of tech-focused business events and conferences hosted here in Ottawa underscores our city’s diverse, collaborative community and our ability to attract and nurture top-tier talent and leading businesses.”
Ottawa’s commercial offering is also supported by its top educational post-secondary institutions, who are home to more than 168,000 students, with a significant portion specialising in STEM fields. This has contributed to Ottawa being recognised as Canada’s most educated city, with 61% of the workforce holding post-secondary degrees.
“Ottawa’s tech offering continues to go from strength to strength, which in turn impacts the conference market, particularly in the association sector as we see more and more organisations look to us as a host for their next event,” says Lesley Pincombe, vice-president, meetings & major events, Ottawa Tourism. “Our strategic location and excellent flight routes from North America and Europe provide easy access, further enhancing our appeal, as does the city’s safety, diversity, inclusivity, and high quality of life. As a G7 capital with significant event infrastructure, including a multi-award-winning congress centre, Ottawa is well-equipped to host large-scale international events. The city’s cultural richness, bilingualism, and vibrant tech and business ecosystem create a unique and welcoming environment for event attendees from across the globe.”
