5 Reasons Ottawa is a great place for 5G and ICT talent  

Posted in Blog, Work In Ottawa
Jun 7, 2021

Trevor Kerr

 

5 mins | 650 words
By: Trevor Kerr

Yes, Ottawa is synonymous with being Canada’s capital city, the site of the world’s largest skating rink, and the backdrop to majestic Parliament buildings, but we are also a global tech hub that is on the leading edge of telecommunications. 

Combine that with consistently being ranked as one of the best places to live in North America and it is no wonder Ottawa is a target for top tech talent from around the world. 

Here are 5 more reasons you should consider working in Ottawa: 


1. Working on the leading edge of ICT R&D 

Ottawa has been at the heart of Canada’s innovation economy for decades, especially when it comes to communication technologies. Supported by 65 government labs, 90% of Canada’s industrial telecom R&D takes place here. This includes the Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre – the only pure-play optical fabrication centre in North America. From multinational giants to homegrown successes, companies of all sizes continue to look to Ottawa as an ICT centre of excellence.  

 

2. Immerse yourself in a 5G hub 

Top tech talent wants to work on innovative projects and Ottawa is Canada’s leader in 5G R&D. In fact, we are so supportive of pushing the boundaries of wireless communications you’ll find a 5G test site right at city hall led by Canada’s Communications Research Centre. Ottawa is also one of five locations in Quebec and Ontario taking part in ENCQOR, a public-private partnership that provides access to pre-commercial 5G for research and innovation. And just this spring the Ericsson Open Lab, a state-of-the-art 5G R&D facility, opened in Ottawa. It allows researchers from around the world to collaborate remotely on 5G wireless technology projects.  

If you want an example of how 5G is set to revolutionize the communities we live in, look no further than Area X.O, the first integrated V2X (vehicle to everything) test facility of its kind in North America. Area X.O has brought together a smart mobility cluster which includes more than 100 partners, including Blackberry QNX and Ericsson. Here you can leverage future mobility, autonomy and connected technologies in a safe and secure environment. If you can think of an application across any sector… you can test it!  

 

3. An amazing career and an even better life 

Life is about more than work, and Ottawa provides that perfect balance. Thanks to our high livability standards, Ottawa was recently ranked the best city in Canada for work-life balance and the sixth-best in the world. That high quality of life and the relative affordability of our city when compared to other major North American cities makes Ottawa an increasingly popular destination for top tech talent.  

 

4. Ottawa is for serious tech 

Top talent is attracted to top talent and you won’t find a higher concentration of tech talent outside of Ottawa. Our city’s deep pool of highly skilled and diverse talent has long been viewed by innovators and entrepreneurs as one of our city’s strongest competitive advantages. According to CBRE’s 2020 Tech Talent report, Ottawa has the highest concentration of tech talent in North America at 11.3 per cent. That puts us ahead of even San Francisco at 10.5 per cent.  

 

5. Immigration made easy

Canada’s immigration programs also make it easy for companies to bring talent to Ottawa from all over the world. We have two dedicated programs for highly skilled talent and work permits can be issued in as few as two weeks. There are also no quotes or caps and if you fall in love with Ottawa (we know you will) these programs can provide a pathway to permanent residency. 


Are you ready to take advantage of Ottawa’s world-class expertise in 5G and ICT to boost your career?  

Register now for our Work in Ottawa: 5G and Communications Technology Career Fair on June 17This is your chance to meet with industry leaders like Ericsson, Ford, Infinera, Ross Video, and Syntronic while discovering why Ottawa is the best place for an amazing career and an even better life. 

Invitation to event on June 17th titled: Work in Ottawa: 5G and Communications Technology Career Fair June 17th from 12pm until 3pm

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