Canada’s strong AI talent pool helped it record stronger tech talent growth than the United States (US) in 2024, according to the 2025 Scoring Tech Talent report.
Canada added 66,600 tech jobs last year. That’s a 5.9-percent increase compared to the 1.1-percent growth in the US, according to the report. The report also found that Canada’s tech industry accounted for three-quarters of the country’s job growth, growing about twice as fast as the total workforce overall.
Canada’s tech industry accounted for three-fourths of the country’s job growth, growing about twice as fast as the total workforce overall.
Released by American commercial real-estate firm CBRE, the annual report analyzes the quality of North American markets for “highly skilled” tech talent. The market rankings are determined by a weighted analysis of 13 metrics, including tech talent concentration, tech talent pipeline, and research and development investment. Canadian cities like Toronto, Waterloo, Edmonton, and Calgary became stronger tech markets on this year’s list.
According to CBRE, Toronto’s strong AI talent pool helped it move up a spot in the ranking for the second consecutive year, overtaking third place from the New York metro area. Toronto remains the highest-ranked Canadian city on the list, only surpassed by Seattle and the San Francisco Bay area.
Vancouver moved up one spot from last year to round out the top 10, but the Waterloo Region made the most notable jump on the list. The region moved up 11 spots to place seventh, its first time in the top 10. The report attributed its rapid rise to the growth of computer and information systems managers, which was the fastest-growing job among all tech roles across North America due to the ascent of AI.
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Alberta’s largest cities were alongside Waterloo for the ride. Edmonton moved up 11 spots to place 38th on the list, and Calgary just beat out Waterloo as the fastest-growing Canadian market between 2021 and 2024, growing by 61 percent.
Outside of the big markets, CBRE also has a “North America’s Next 25” ranking, which assesses the smaller, “up-and-coming” tech talent markets. Halifax clocked in at number two, while London, Ont. ranked fourth, and Winnipeg placed ninth. London and Halifax had the largest tech talent growth over three years in this ranking, growing by 54.5 percent and 43.5 percent, respectively.
Feature Image courtesy Annie Spratt via Unsplash.