IBM Canada has announced plans to increase its headcount and consolidate its physical presence in Toronto, as it looks to support a flexible return to in-person work and 500 new hires in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
As part of the move, IBM plans to merge its four existing Toronto offices at Spadina Avenue, Bloor Street, King Street, and Wellington Street into a new downtown Toronto office at 16 York Street.
IBM said the transition to a single hub was “accelerated over the past year when virtual work environments became commonplace.”
IBM said the transition to a single hub was “accelerated over the past year when virtual work environments became commonplace.” The company’s new, larger office, which is set to open in November, will include an artificial intelligence (AI) and hybrid cloud client showcase centre, collaboration space for IBM employees and clients, and space for IBM Garage, a design approach to innovation and digital transformation.
“A great deal has changed over the last 15 months, and we have heard from our employees that flexibility between home and office work environments is important to them,” said Claude Guay, IBM Canada’s president. “Continuing to support that work-life balance for IBMers is a priority for us as a company.”
IBM expects its York Street location to accommodate some of its planned GTA hires, as others will work remotely. The company’s Canadian headquarters will also remain in Markham.
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The United States-based tech firm is looking to recruit people for its Technology, Services, and Garage units, seeking Canadian applicants with tech and services skills in AI, hybrid cloud, and security. IBM is currently hiring for 800 positions across Canada in total.
IBM said it has hired over 1,200 new employees in Canada since January, including 250 students for internship programs.
Toronto Mayor John Tory called the announcement “exciting news” for the city. “Despite the challenges we have faced during the pandemic, this new office is a testament to the strength and attraction of our city’s core,” said Tory. “We know that the opening of new offices like the one by IBM will play a big role in the reopening of our city and the rebuilding of our economy as we look to safely restart our city.”
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With the announcement, IBM is set to join a series of US tech firms that have looked to expand their presence in Toronto over the past year, including Microsoft, DoorDash, Netflix, Uber, and Pinterest, some of which have sought to take advantage of the city’s strong pool of engineering talent.
In December, IBM acquired Montréal-based FinTech company Expertus and announced a collaboration with Mila on an open-source AI and machine learning project.
Feature image by Sahil from Pexels
