Ottawa has dropped to 14th place in CBRE's annual Scoring Tech Talent rankings, a widely cited industry benchmark that measures how North American cities compare as hubs for tech workers and employers, according to Ottawa Business Journal.
What the Ranking Measures
CBRE's Scoring Tech Talent report is published every year and evaluates dozens of metro areas across factors like the size of the local tech workforce, talent growth, education output, and the overall business environment for tech companies. It's become a go-to reference point for site-selection teams, investors, and city boosters trying to gauge where the next wave of tech jobs might land — which is exactly why a slide in the standings tends to get noticed back home.
An Ottawa Angle That Hits Close to Home
For a city that has spent years branding itself as "Silicon Valley North," built on the legacy of Kanata North's telecom boom and a steady pipeline of federal government tech contracts, a drop in this particular ranking stings a little more than most. Ottawa's tech identity has long been tied to a mix of homegrown giants, scrappy startups, and a workforce shaped by nearby universities like Carleton and the University of Ottawa. When a report like this shows movement — especially downward — it becomes a talking point in boardrooms, city hall, and at local networking events across the Kanata North Business Park and downtown's growing startup scene.
Why Rankings Like This Matter for Local Workers
It's easy to dismiss an industry ranking as just a headline, but these reports carry real weight. Companies scouting for a new office or expansion site often use rankings like CBRE's as an early filter before digging into the details. For Ottawa job seekers and tech professionals, a lower ranking doesn't mean the sector is collapsing overnight, but it can shape perception — and perception influences where companies choose to invest, hire, and grow. If Ottawa continues to be seen as slipping relative to peer cities, that could eventually translate into fewer new employers setting up shop or expanding their local headcount.
The Bigger Picture for Ottawa's Tech Scene
Ottawa's tech sector has weathered plenty of ups and downs over the decades, from the dot-com bust that hit Kanata hard to more recent waves of layoffs across the broader tech industry. The city still has real strengths working in its favour: a stable base of federal and defence-related tech work, a strong talent pipeline from local post-secondary institutions, and a cost of living that, while rising, remains more manageable than markets like Toronto or Vancouver. Whether this year's ranking dip is a blip or the start of a longer trend is something local tech leaders and economic development officials will likely be watching closely as next year's CBRE report approaches.
Source: Ottawa Business Journal
