Ottawa
As our nation’s capital, Ottawa is a thriving city that you will feel proud to call your own.
By the Numbers
- Fourth largest city in Canada by population
- Second largest city in Ontario by population
- At 2,796 sq. km, the city of Ottawa is larger than Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton combined
- More than $40 billion GDP
- More than $2.5 billion in venture capital investments since 2000
- One of the principal advanced technology centres in North America, with more than 70,000 high-tech jobs
- 25,000 employers and over 500,000 jobs
Education
Carleton University. Opened in 1942, Carleton University has recently upgraded its infrastructure. Updates including the new Institute for Advanced Research and Innovation in Smart Environments (ARISE) and the new Health Sciences building provide state-of-the-art facilities. Work is underway on the Nicol Building, set to become the new home of the Sprott School of Business in 2020, so you can meet your future sales team while getting a pint at Mike’s place.
Algonquin College. In 2018, Algonquin College expanded its Ottawa campus with its new $45-million DARE (Discovery, Applied Research and Entrepreneurship) District and a multimillion-dollar welding lab. The DARE District includes a new library and learning centre, training and test facilities, and applied research centres ranging from cybersecurity to data analytics.
La Cité Collégiale. Ontario’s largest francophone college of applied arts and technology. Offering a vast range of diplomas, certificates and continuing education programs from biotechnology to digital arts, the school’s course offerings focus on the demand for skilled, French-speaking workers throughout the province.
High Growth Sectors
Public Service / Federal Government
Technology
Tourism
Manufacturing
General Fun Facts
Ottawa has got brains. The city has the highest per capita rate of scientists, engineers, and Ph.D. holders in the entire country!
There are more than 14 museums in Ottawa, but the Canadian Museum of Civilization is the most visited museum in Canada.
Ottawa is green. Ottawa is big on agriculture and has more farmland than any other city in Canada.
It has a bright future. Nearly half the population is under the age of 35, making it one of the youngest cities in the country.
Computer Animation was born here. Ottawa NRC scientists Nestor Burtnyk and Marceli Wein discovered many firsts in computer graphics, resulting in the key-frame technology that allows the creation of animated sequences—tech that is still used today!
High-speed internet was invented here, aka Fibre Optic Splitting. We have Jozef Strauss and his colleagues at JDS Optics in Ottawa to thank for developing this technology that allows us to enjoy high-speed Internet.
Ottawa Tech Success Stories
Frequently Asked Questions
What is unique about the Ottawa tech market?
Beyond being the nation’s capital, Ottawa is a unique locale for anyone looking to break into a successful high-tech career. Ottawa has a very affordable cost of living and a large arts scene, but the real unique factor about Ottawa’s tech market is that it holds the headquarters of our federal government. The Federal Government of Canada employs just under 850,000 employees. Over the last decade, a large portion of those jobs have become increasingly related to tech. As a technical worker in Ottawa, you will have the choice of moving into an exciting private sector role or you could equally opt for a meaningful public service role supporting defence, ERP initiatives, digital projects, or even data science.
How is Talentlab uniquely positioned to help tech companies in Ottawa find talent?
Talentlab was founded in 1998 and we have specialized in technical recruitment and staffing ever since. Tech is our focus, and we do it really well. Not only is each of our recruiters assigned a technical stream, they are also sent for training related to that technical area. What that means for both our candidates and clients is that each search is carefully curated by a subject matter expert with technical knowledge and a personal network of relevant talent. You will get better quality candidates and job opportunities with relevant skill profiles and the right requirements to be successful in even the most niche roles.
How can Talentlab help me land a great gig in Ottawa?
Founded by Nortel Alumni, we have lived and breathed Ottawa tech staffing since inception. From the very start, we had the inside track on the technical market. We have risen with the good times, and fallen with the bad, alongside our tech clients. We know the history, challenges, and successes of most Ottawa tech employment brands. We have spoken with hundreds of National Capital Region tech candidates about their experiences, both positive and negative. What that means for our partners is that you will get over 20 years of lessons learned, a holistic understanding of the Ottawa technical talent market, and a chance to gain unparalleled insights that can help you avoid subtle career missteps.
“Talentlab’s team was always professional. They provided regular updates to all stakeholders involved, communicated effectively with hiring teams, and always acted with integrity. They provided useful insight into key technical streams, and were able to find candidates at skills levels not normally seen with our previous recruitment vendors.”
– Priscilla Parsons, Talent Acquisition Lead @ Ribbon Communications
