Multinational tech company Nokia has announced the opening of a new office in downtown Toronto as part of its broader commitment to expand its presence in Ontario.
Located by Toronto’s waterfront at 100 Queens Quay East, the new Toronto location builds on Nokia’s previously announced plans to redevelop its existing 26-acre site in Kanata, Ottawa into a “world-leading, sustainable research and development hub.”
Last year, when Nokia announced its R&D centre redevelopment in Kanata, it stated plans to hire for 340 new jobs in Ontario. This would bring Nokia’s Ontario-based workforce to 2,500 employees.
Nokia Canada president said the company’s growing presence in Canada maps the increased demand that it is seeing.
The Kanata facility is expected to open in 2026, backed by a combined $72 million contribution from the federal, provincial, and municipal governments. The Government of Canada is committing $40 million through its Strategic Innovation Fund, and the Ontario government, through Invest Ontario, is providing $30 million CAD. The City of Ottawa, through Hydro Ottawa, will contribute $2 million for control system upgrades.
The proposed redevelopment would bring space for retail and commercial establishments, along with two office towers. It is also expected to house 11 residential towers, with current plans calling for 1,900 residential units, as reported by the Ottawa Citizen.
Nokia said it is also putting $340 million into the Kanata R&D centre between 2023 and 2027 for labs and equipment, labour, and operating costs.
According to Nokia, the Kanata R&D site will help broaden the company’s expertise in 5G, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. It will also accelerate growth in cloud software, digital identity management, and security for devices connected to critical networks.
Jeffrey Maddox, president of Nokia Canada, said that the company’s growing presence in Canada maps the increased demand that it is seeing.
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Founded in Finland in 1865, Nokia has operated in various industries beyond consumer electronics—from paper to car tires. The corporation transitioned into telecommunications as its primary focus in the 1990s, becoming one of the best-selling mobile phones manufacturers in the late 1990s.
In 2014, Nokia sold its mobile and devices division to Microsoft in a deal valued at €5.4 billion. Nokia has since re-entered the mobile handset market through a licensing agreement, however, the company currently has its focus largely on developing telecom equipment for 4G and 5G networks.
Featured image courtesy Nokia.