Toronto Named Canada’s #1 Tech Growth Hub

The March 2026 report on Canada’s emerging tech centers found that Toronto is becoming the country’s fastest-growing AI hub. With AI expected to add $230 billion to Canada’s GDP in the coming years, a new study by the marketing agency dNOVO Group shows which cities are driving this growth and attracting the best tech talent.

• Toronto has over 44K tech businesses, more than any other city in Canada, making it the go-to place for AI and Tech professionals.
• IT companies are hiring at the highest rates in Milton and Ajax, with over 2,000 tech jobs available in each city right now.
• Tech workers in Waterloo make up to CAD 77K annually, about $10K more than their colleagues in cities like Ottawa or Calgary.

The research examined over 50 Canadian cities to find where the tech industry is growing at the fastest rate. The report counted how many tech-related businesses operate in each city, how many IT jobs are available, and whether salaries actually cover the cost of rent and daily expenses. Cities got scored from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more developed tech industries and better conditions for IT professionals.

Here’s a look at the top Canadian 10 cities where tech sectors are growing fastest:

You can access the complete research findings here.

1. Toronto

• Professional services per 100K people: 1,314
• Tech jobs per 100K people: 74
• Average tech salary: CAD 92.2K
• Monthly living cost: $2,464
• Salary-to-cost ratio: 37.4

Toronto has the fastest-growing tech scene in Canada. The city is home to 44K businesses that work in technology, science, and engineering, from software companies to AI startups. Salaries here are also the highest in the country, as tech professionals are making over CAD 90K annually. With monthly expenses around $2,464, that’s enough to cover their bills while still keeping large leftovers for savings. Getting a job as a tech worker in Toronto isn’t hard either, with nearly 2,500 active positions advertised right now.

2. Vancouver

Vancouver is the second biggest tech hub in Canada. Despite having a population five times smaller than Toronto, the city counts over 16K companies working in technology and science fields, creating a tight professional network. These businesses are also hiring actively, with nearly 600 job openings listed currently, plus there’s lower competition compared to Toronto. As for salaries, tech workers here make around C$63K, which is close to the national average.

3. Waterloo

Waterloo takes third place as another emerging tech center in Canada. The university town registers over 2,450 tech companies, which is unusually high for a population of just 150K people. Waterloo’s biggest advantage for attracting tech talent is the pay, as salaries here average CAD 77K, beating out much larger cities like Montreal and even matching some Toronto positions. The city is also quite affordable, with monthly living costs around 40 times lower than annual salaries.

4. Montréal

Montreal ranks fourth with the second-largest tech sector in Canada. The city has nearly 18K technology businesses, offering jobs in both English and French-speaking markets. Salaries here average CAD 65K, which might look lower than Toronto’s $92K on paper, but that’s before you look at the expenses. Monthly living costs run just $1.9K here, about $500 less than in Toronto, so workers end up keeping more money at the end of each month. Right now, 1,080 tech positions are posted across the city, giving job seekers plenty of options to find the right fit.

5. Milton

Milton rounds out the top five fastest-growing tech hubs in Canada. The city has only 400 businesses that provide tech services, but these companies are actually hiring at the highest rates in the country. As of now, there are over 2,350 IT job openings listed around Milton, more than in cities ten times its size. Pay is also quite decent, with average tech workers making about CAD 55K. And this is even more attractive when looking at living costs, which stand at only C$1,434 a month.

Shamil Shamilov, CEO of dNOVO Group commented on the study:

“Canada is actively trying to catch up in the AI sector. The recent CAD 1 billion federal investment in the local AI industry proves that the government recognizes the opportunity. But sitting next to the US, which leads the AI game by a massive margin, means there’s still more work to do. Government support needs to reach both early-stage startups and larger corporations if we want to compete seriously.”

ENDS

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