Western Economic Diversification Canada
Symbol of the Government of Canada
Skip to content | Skip to institutional links

Common menu bar links

Home > Reports and Publications > Economic Research and Market Studies > Western Canada - Where the Spirit of Innovation meets a world of Opportunity > Western Canada's Information and Communications Technologies Industry Advantage

Institutional links

Western Canada's Information and Communications Technologies Industry Advantage

 < previous
 index
 next >

“Canada has world-class universities and skills, a solid telecommunications infrastructure, and it's one of the most connected countries in the world. It also has a growing reputation for providing a business climate that fosters innovation and breeds success.” — Ed Kilroy, President, IBM Canada Ltd.

From multimedia, video games and software design to information technology and wireless technology, Western Canada is carving a niche for itself in the information and communications technologies (ICT) industry. Hundreds of up-and-coming enterprises, a number of established mid-sized firms and many global companies are building the reputations of Vancouver, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton and Calgary as homes to dynamic industry clusters. These clusters of world-class expertise are generating $20.3 billion in revenues and employing approximately 100,000 people.

Competitive Strengths

Wireless Technology

  • Leading capabilities in all areas of the wireless value chain, from wireless telecommunications, infrastructure and devices to enabling software and mobile applications.
  • Unique focus on oil and gas industries, including global positioning systems for the energy sector.

Wireless Leaders and Innovators

  • British Columbia: includes leading players, such as Sierra Wireless and MDSI, as well as innovators like Colligo and Contec
  • Alberta: home to a fast-growing wireless communications industry that includes firms like Wi-LAN and CSI Wireless
  • Saskatchewan: location of world-leading companies such as Vecima Networks, which designs and manufactures wireless communication products, and International Road Dynamics, a maker of highway traffic management products and systems
  • Manitoba: includes global companies such as AML Wireless and InfoMagnetics Technologies, which is internationally recognized for satellite, terrestrial and microwave antennae design

New Media and Gaming

  • Proven expertise in digital animation, visual effects and post-production services.
  • State-of-the-art film and television production facilities and services in every province, making Western Canada a key location for Hollywood productions.
  • Thriving interactive game industry generating revenues in excess of $1.2 billion per year.
  • Over 150 companies, including some of the top game companies in the world.
  • Active and rapidly growing software sector specializing in e-commerce solutions and e-learning.

Video Game Leaders and Innovators

  • Electronic Arts in Burnaby, British Columbia, is the world's biggest interactive entertainment software company, bringing in more than $2 billion in revenue each year. It has been added to Standard & Poor's 500 index.
  • BioWare, an electronic entertainment company located in Edmonton and specializing in video games, recently participated in a $300 million merger with Pandemic Studios to form one of the strongest independent game development companies.
  • Frantic Films in Winnipeg is a groundbreaking live-action, visual effects, 3D animation and commercial production company whose growing roster of clients including Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, ABC Television, History Television, and Life Network, to name a few.

Why Invest in Western Canada's Information and Communications Technology Industry?

Companies like Nokia, Sierra Wireless and many more have all either set up major operations or are working closely with Western Canadian partners. That's because Western Canada offers many types of investment opportunities for success, including

  • direct investment;
  • partnerships, strategic alliances and joint ventures;
  • subcontracting; and
  • research and development collaborations.

More Reasons to Invest

  • Reduce costs by outsourcing manufacturing activities
  • Access to the United States and Canadian markets
  • Partner with Western Canadian companies
  • Profit from generous R&D tax treatments
  • Market to more Internet users per capita than any other country in the world
  • Take advantage of one of the highest broadband penetration rates in the world, second only to Korea

Cost-Competitive and Trade-Friendly

Canada's business costs rank the lowest among the G7 countries with a 7.0-point advantage over the United States in software development, and a 6.2-point advantage in web and multimedia development. Canada's labour and benefit costs are the lowest in the G7. (Source: 2006 edition of KPMG's Competitive Alternatives, a guide to international business costs)

Low-Cost Leaders of Western Canada

  • Edmonton, Winnipeg and Calgary are three of the top four leading low-cost telecommunications locations among cities in Midwestern North America.
  • In cities in the Pacific region of North America, Vancouver is the second most cost-competitive telecommunications location.

Highly Skilled and Productive Workforce

Canadian universities produce more than 25,000 graduates a year in mathematics, engineering, and pure and applied sciences. This translates into an ICT workforce with a high level of education and training. In 2004, 38 per cent of all workers in the industry had a university degree, compared to a national average of 21 per cent.

Solid Research and Development Infrastructure

Western Canada's ICT industry invested $62.4 million in research and development in 2002. 

Western Canada's ICT industry invested $62.4 million in research and development in 2002.

Western Canada's ICT industry invested $62.4 million in research and development in 2002. A high-powered R&D environment, which includes networks of centres of excellence such as the Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems, and the Canadian Design Research Network, fosters collaboration between industry, government and academia. In Saskatchewan, the Canadian Light Source Nano Structures Facility will enable the development and pilot production of next-generation device structures for electronic and wireless-optical communications applications. The ICT industry as a whole is given brainpower and innovative technologies by TRLabs, the largest ICT R&D consortium, with locations in Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Saskatoon and Winnipeg.

A Climate for Growth

Norwegian software company eZ systems recently selected Vancouver as the location for its new North American head office. Because eZ's growth strategy includes expanding its American and Canadian customer base, an office close to new and existing customers and partners makes sense for the growing company. After considering Silicon Valley and Boston, they looked at Vancouver and its dynamic software industry. Vancouver will allow eZ systems to more effectively market its enterprise open source software and support its North American clients. It also includes an excellent local talent pool, lower costs and peer companies working in the same space.

“Vancouver is a great city to grow a technology business in. It has a strong local IT community, is a gateway to several major markets and—most importantly—provides an excellent fit for our Scandinavian corporate culture.” — Zak Greant, Managing Director, North America for eZ systems.

 

 < previous
 index
 next >

Date Modified: 2009-11-12

Top of Page
Important Notices