An emerging tech hub in Ottawa
Kanata North seems something of a departure from political and bureaucratic Ottawa, the capital that Canadians think they know so well — and it is, literally as well as figuratively.
It’s a 15-minute drive from Parliament Hill, but for all its high-tech research and innovation, its community atmosphere and esprit de corps, the unique community off Highway 417 might as well be light years away.
It’s a youthful place of brilliance, creativity, and optimism where some of the best technological minds in the country gather each workday to invent new things and make older ones better. And it’s a residential neighbourhood and recreational area with all the associated amenities.
It’s also growing. Tech employment in Kanata North has been consistently on the rise since 1991. Combined, its Top 20 companies generated $3.3 billion in revenues in 2015. Some say Kanata North is the land of multinationals, but the fact is two-thirds of its companies are Canadian. Here are some other things you may not know about Kanata North.
Kanata North is the largest research and technology hub in Canada
More than 500 companies operate there, employing 21,000 people. It contributes $7.8 billion to Canada’s GDP, double that of Canada’s 26 other research and technology parks combined. And 90 per cent of all telecommunications research and development conducted in Canada is done in Kanata North.
Kanata North is building Ottawa’s technological economy.
Kanata North’s productivity is off the charts
Employees in Kanata North are three times as productive as the average Canadian worker. In other words, per person, Kanata North workers contribute $255,000 apiece to GDP each year — three times the national average.
Kanata North is home to big operators and smaller startups, too
It’s the home of start-ups as well as industry giants like telecoms Nokia of Finland, U.S.-based Ciena and Mitel, conceived and headquartered right here in Kanata North. While Kanata North can accommodate firms employing anywhere from two to 5,000 people, three-quarters of its tech firms have fewer than 50 employees.
Kanata North is a self-contained community
Talk about convenience. You can work all morning, step out for lunch, and hold an afternoon business meeting while playing a round of golf. Out-of-town guests can stay at one of the on-site hotels. For those working in Kanata North, home can be but a five-minute drive away. Quality of life goes hand-in-hand with Kanata North’s hard-earned reputation for technology and innovation. Traffic is not an issue, and nature trails abound.
A technological ecosystem is part of what makes Kanata North unique.
Kanata North is built for success
It’s home to the two-year-old Centre of Excellence in Next Generation Networks, a not-for-profit, international consortium of industry, academic and research leaders dedicated to accelerating commercialization of next-generation communications technologies. More recently, L-Spark Incubator and Accelerator arrived, providing individualized mentorship for on-demand, or software as a service (SaaS), providers with targeted support and exceptional access to partners, investors and key contacts. The area’s collaborative workspaces are perfect for start-ups looking to tap into the wealth of expertise at hand in Kanata North.
In short, Kanata North is the heart of technology and innovation in Canada. It has a long history of growing companies and it boasts some of the best and brightest talent – inventors, creators and innovators – over a range of technologies, from wireless and telecom to photonics, optical, software and cloud SaaS.
It is an ideal destination for companies that have outgrown their current locations, and those requiring more access to expertise and depth in their fields. If a company is looking to capitalize on the leverage gained by locating alongside companies in similar or complementary fields, Kanata North is the place to go. The added bonus is that Kanata North is also a great environment in which to live, work, and play, offering a peaceful, neighbourly and convenient community with amenities and services for both business and families.