Ask any Torontonian – whether born and raised or relatively new to the scene – and the answer will likely be the same: this city has always been a great place to live. From the food and the culture to sights, opportunities, and safety, few areas of the world could truly stand to compete against Toronto in the eyes of anyone who has spent more than a couple months living, working, and socialising here.
It would, in all honesty, be difficult for anyone to pin down exactly what it is that makes Toronto special – and, in all likelihood, once any one of Toronto’s almost three million resident came up with an answer, it would be entirely unique. The city possesses a certain je ne sais quoi that continues to draw in thousands of tourists each year – many of whom find it difficult to leave when their week is up.
Still, there is plenty of objective proof to be found in support of Toronto’s inherent value – not least among them the fact that Toronto is headed in the direction of boasting one of the world’s most lucrative and dynamic tech landscapes. But, given the long-running leadership of tech hubs like Silicone Valley, what is it that is putting Toronto on the tech map? Read more below.
A Growing List of Opportunities for Creatives
One of the most notable driving forces behind the continued development of Toronto’s tech industry is the face that the playing field is constantly changing – not only for developers, but for creatives, too.
Toronto represents a microcosm of the entire tech industry, which stretches as far and wide as the disparate worlds of VR, the IoT, artificial intelligence, computer security, and game development – to name just a few. Riding the tremendous waves of game development created by pivotal sites like GGPoker, or spearheading a new direction for virtual reality, or transforming the landscape for millions of computer users across the globe, all represent vocations for those working in the industry.
Interest from the World’s Giants
Not only is the landscape constantly giving way to new opportunities for those looking to find their niche within the industry, but it seems that Toronto is experiencing a commercial real estate boom among some of the world’s most notable tech companies.
Alongside London, the city of Toronto has seen a number of tech giants move into the neighbourhood, including Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, thus creating hundreds of new job opportunities for locals, and ensuring that the stage is set for plenty of new, budding start-ups to follow in the wake of these powerhouses.
A Thriving Job Market
The most obvious eventuality to stem from Toronto’s new, prominent position on the tech map is an explosion of job opportunities across a wide range of specialities. Those who have been living and working in the city for decades can apply their expertise to this indomitable industry, and those who have never even visited before can up stakes and move overseas to embrace the city’s newfound prominence on the tech scene.
Of course, all this is inevitably giving way to…
…More Diverse Workforces
It would be impossible to pay homage to Toronto’s thriving tech-scene without also acknowledging the remarkable impact Canada’s forward-thinking immigration policies are having on the country’s workforces. By developing a more diverse population and encouraging workers from across the globe to move across the pond to Canada, cities like Toronto are able to benefit from a remarkable boon to their capabilities.
More creativity breeds more innovation, and in an industry defined by its ability to continually move forward and embrace a constant state of change, innovation is precisely what we need. Fortunately, Toronto has a seemingly endless supply of creative power at its disposal, and we can feel rest assured that the city will continue to spearhead the next chapter for the global tech industry in the years to come.
Of course, if the successes seen in other areas of the world are anything to go by, then Torontonians working in the tech industry can expect vertiginous new heights in the coming years – but the city comes to this new landscape well-prepared, and Toronto’s tech workers are more than equipped to bring it to the next level.
