1.

Ottawa is an Established Global Technology Centre

More than 1800 technology companies strong, Ottawa’s key industries include telecommunications, photonics, semiconductor, wireless, software, security and defence, customer technical support centres and life sciences, employing nearly 80,000 people.
Source: OCRI Ottawa Technology Industry Survey

2.

Strong Mix of Multinational Organizations and Small to Medium Sized Enterprises

Ottawa houses several multinational giants including Nortel Networks, Alcatel, Cognos, Cisco Systems, Avaya, MDS Nordion, IBM, Dell, RIM, and Corel. In addition, there are over 1500 high tech companies with less than 50 employees creating a strong and diverse, yet balanced private sector.
Source: OCRI Global Marketing

3.

The Most Educated Workforce in Canada

The Ottawa region’s current workforce has the highest percentage of university graduates in the country, and the highest concentration of PhDs in North America, tied with Boston.
Source: Statistics Canada 2001 Census

4.

Second Highest Concentration of Science and Engineering Employment in North America

Ottawa-Gatineau has the second largest concentration of science and engineering employment out of 316 North American cities, surpassed only by Silicon Valley. One in nine employees is a scientist or engineer.
Source: Statistics Canada, May 2006.

5.

One of the World’s Top Sites for R&D

With 90 per cent of Canada’s industrial telecommunications research and development conducted here, Ottawa is one of the world's top sites for R&D. The R&D infrastructure combines three major research engines: private, university, & government.
Source: City of Ottawa

6.

Canada’s Most Connected City

Ottawa ranks 1st among 20 Canadian cities for internet use in the home; 78.9% of households in the city have at least one regular internet user.
Source: Statistics Canada 2001Census
Virtually 100% of Ottawa’s schools, universities, hospitals, libraries, research institutes and municipal facilities are wired with high speed internet access. No other city in Canada has the breadth and depth of fibre optic connectivity as Ottawa – making it Canada’s most connected city.
Source: Ottawa’s Rural Communities Network (ORCNet)

7.

A Professional Services Industry Supporting Ottawa’s Advanced Technology Sector

Ottawa’s professional services providers have expanded and matured with Ottawa’s technology companies, offering value-added world class services tailored to an active globally competitive technology community.
Source: OCRI Global Marketing

8.

Strong Entrepreneurial Culture

The total amount of venture capital invested in Ottawa technology companies over the last decade amounted to over $4.7 billion CDN.
Source: The OCRI Report 2005

9.

Strongest Economic Activity in Canada

A recent study by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) showed that Ottawa had the strongest momentum of economic activity in Canada during the first quarter of 2006.
Source: CIBC Metro Monitor, June 2006

10.

Top 20 in the World for Quality of Life

After being ranked as the most affordable city in Canada in 2005 (Mercer HR Consulting) Ottawa was once again ranked as Canada’s least costly major city to work and raise a family.
Ottawa currently ranks as the 18th best city to live in the world. Consistently ranking in the top 20, Ottawa has increased in rank by two spots in the last year.
Source: Mercer HR Consulting Quality of Life Survey 2006

11.

Paradise for Outdoor Enthusiasts

Ottawa is in the midst of a giant outdoor playground featuring mountains, beaches, camping, skiing, golfing and hundreds of freshwater lakes. Ottawa has the world’s largest outdoor skating rink, over 850 parks, 300kms of biking trails and over 200kms of cross country ski trails to enjoy!
Source: City of Ottawa

12.

A City for Culture and the Arts

As Canada’s Capital, Ottawa is home to a variety of National institutions including the Museum of Civilization, the Museum of Nature, the Museum of Science and Technology, the National Art Gallery and the National Art’s Centre. Nightlife abounds in the Byward Market and on Elgin Street. A City of Festivals, Ottawa hosts over 50 ranging from the Tulip Festival and Winterlude to the Blues and Jazz Festivals to the Dragon Boat and Hot Air Balloon Festivals.

13.   

The Least Expensive Canadian City for Cost of Living

Ottawa remains the least expensive Canadian city according to the latest Cost of Living Survey from Mercer Human Resource Consulting, the global leader for HR and related financial advice.
Source: Mercer HR Consulting Worldwide Cost of Living Survey 2006 – city rankings, London, 26 June 2006

14.   

A 4.9 per cent Cost Advantage Relative to the U.S.

According to the KPMG’s 2006 Competitive Alternatives Study (a guide to international business costs), Canada leads the G7 countries for low business costs, with a 5.5 per cent advantage over the United States. Business costs are expressed as an index, and Ottawa was assigned an index of 95.1, with the United States being assigned a baseline index of 100. This represents a 4.9 per cent cost advantage relative to the United States, and exceeds Toronto which only has a 3.5 per cent cost advantage.
Source: KPMG Competitive Alternatives Study 2006

15.

Ottawa ranked Canada's most sustainable city

Corporate Knights Magazine unveiled its second annual ranking of sustainable cities on Monday and Ottawa came out on top.  
The list ranks Canadian cities which, according to the magazine, "leave the smallest environmental footprint possible and create a healthy, thriving population."
Source: Corporate Knights magazine, February 2008.