ACCESS TO TALENT
Ottawa, Canada's Capital
Your business destination awaits
THE CAPITAL ADVANTAGE
Ottawa is ranked the best place to live in the country
OTTAWA IS A TECH HUB
For decades, Ottawa has been a global leader in telecommunications technology. Today, Canada’s capital is one the hottest and most diverse tech hubs in North America.
NEW TO OUR ECOSYSTEM
Ottawa’s high concentration of technology talent, competitive business costs and quality of life attracts companies from around the world. To successfully relocate and expand, Invest Ottawa offers services to support companies throughout their life cycle.
OUR SECTORS
Invest Ottawa supports six high growth Knowledge Based Industries (KBI) that collectively employ 68,000 people in 1,750 companies.
Life Sciences
Software
Digital Media
Communications Technology
Clean Technologies
Aerospace, Defence & Security
TOP 6 ADVANTAGES TO ESTABLISHING YOUR COMPANY IN OTTAWA
We make it easy to do business
With the second highest concentration of scientists and engineers in North America and the highest concentration of tech talent in the nation, Ottawa is a recognized source of innovation, creativity and highly sought after talent that has produced industry leading breakthroughs that advance global competitiveness.
COST OF DOING BUSINESS
Total business tax costs in Canada are the lowest in the G7. As a result, operating a highly knowledge-based business in Canada provides a competitive edge.As a dynamic technology ecosystem, Ottawa features many assets that distinguish it from other cities in North America. Rated the most business friendly environment and third best city for FDI out of 77, mid-sized cities, in the Western Hemisphere – it’s no surprise why Ottawa is home to more technology companies than Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary and almost five times more than Waterloo.
Additionally, as Canada’s most affordable place to live among large North American cities, Ottawa offers competitive business costs for talent acquisition and research and development, all supported by competitive government incentives. Major funding programs include: Scientific Research and Experimental Development Program (SR&ED), Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) and Jobs & Prosperity Fund.
GATEWAY TO NORTH AMERICAN MARKETS
Located in the heart of Eastern Ontario, the Nation’s capital is less than two hours away by air from major North American markets including: Toronto, Montreal, New York City, Boston and Chicago. Combined with direct flights to major hubs in Europe, such as London and Frankfurt, Ottawa gives your company easy access to major clients and consumers.
COMPETITIVE R+D CAPABILITIES
Ranked as the Top Canadian Tech Hub To Live and Work In, Ottawa is bursting with innovation. Home to more than 1,750 technology companies, including international heavyweights such as IBM, Ciena, Microsoft, Amazon, Nokia and Huawei and homegrown champions such as Shopify, You.i TV, Spartan BioScience, Blackberry QNX, Mitel, Kinaxis and Ross Video, the business ecosystem includes technology companies of every size and expertise. As an example of the city’s ability to nurture successful enterprises, Ottawa technology companies have raised more money in IPO’s over the last five years than all the major Canadian cities combined.What makes the ecosystem globally competitive is its vast research and development (R&D) expertise. Overall, Ottawa leads in R&D spending per capita and accounts for 90% of Canada’s industrial telecommunications R&D. Coupled with commercialization centres such as the Centre for Next Generation Networks (CENGN) and a handful of incubators and accelerators such as, Lead to Win, Startup Garage, The Code Factory, Invest Ottawa, and L-SPARK, Ottawa enjoys an enviable innovation culture.
Want to know more about Ottawa’s technology prowess? https://www.investottawa.ca/blog/ottawa-is-a-tech-hub-deal-with-it/
130 EMBASSIES
As a G7 capital, Ottawa is the political heartbeat of Canada with proximity to a large concentration of policy makers, government departments, and 65 federal research labs. Proximity to government offers strategic advantages for procurement opportunities. In fact, the federal government spent +$2.89 billion on goods and services from local firms in 2015-2016. Factor in the 130 embassies located around the city, Ottawa offers a global network right in your backyard!
QUALITY OF LIFE