Sector Expertise - Business Events Halifax

A Connected City for World-Changing Ideas

Halifax is a global leader for ocean science and technology, health and life sciences, aerospace and defence, and digital innovation. Its Innovation District is home to more than 2,100 companies and over 15 startup incubators and innovation hubs, 6 universities, and an extensive network of university, hospital, and federal research facilities. Halifax also supported more than 300 innovation-driven startups in 2025, which collectively raised approximately $136 million.

As Nova Scotia’s capital and Atlantic Canada’s largest urban centre, Halifax connects researchers, government, industry, healthcare organizations, and emerging talent within a compact, collaborative community. For conferences and business events, that concentration creates opportunities to access local expertise, strengthen programming, develop partnerships, and connect delegates with the people and places advancing these sectors.

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Halifax’s Supporting Strengths

High Growth

Halifax Ranked #2 in CBRE’s Emerging Tech Market in North America in 2025 for a tech sector that’s scaling at record speed, creating 6,500 new tech jobs in just one year.

National Hub

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, a national network of more than 1,000 members advancing ocean solutions with global applications across fisheries, aquaculture, marine transportation, offshore energy, defence, and ocean technology, is headquartered in Halifax.

Unparalleled Harbour Infrastructure

Halifax brings nationally significant ocean, naval, and defence research assets together around one of the world’s largest natural harbours.

Attractive Market

Nova Scotia is home to more than 35% of Canada’s top defence companies, including Thales, IMP Aerospace & Defence, Babcock, Lockheed Martin, L3Harris, and General Dynamics Mission Systems.

Highly Educated

Halifax’s share of residents with a bachelor’s degree or higher is 7.7 percentage points above the national average. With 6 degree-granting universities and 81 post-secondary students per 1,000 residents, Halifax is one of Canada’s most concentrated academic communities.

Real-World Testing Environments

Researchers and companies have access to real-world testing environments, from marine technology trials in Halifax Harbour with COVE to health innovations tested, implemented, and scaled through the Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub.

Globally Connected Research Community

Dalhousie University alone maintains partnerships with more than 200 institutions across 57 countries.

Supportive Ecosystem

Health innovators can connect directly with a centralized healthcare system which supports more than 1,400 research projects and 17,500 participants each year.

Part of an Atlantic Network

Regional organizations like Springboard Atlantic and ACOA help connect research, industry, and commercialization, which helps turn promising ideas into partnerships, products, and new companies.

Cross-Sector Collaboration

Halifax’s innovation strengths intersect—bringing ocean technologies together with defence and AI, and health research with digital technology, and engineering.

Explore Halifax’s Key Sectors

LIFE SCIENCES

Research, Clinical Care and Commercial Innovation

Halifax’s health and life sciences ecosystem connects researchers, hospitals, universities, government partners, and companies working in medical technology, digital health, pharmaceuticals, vaccines, neuroscience, oncology, natural products and bioproducts. This concentration of research and clinical expertise supports the development, evaluation, and commercialization of new diagnostics, treatments, technologies, and health solutions.

Nova Scotia is home to more than 100 life sciences companies, with much of the province’s research and commercialization infrastructure concentrated in Halifax. Nova Scotia Health supports approximately 400 active clinical trials at any time, while Halifax-area medical technology companies accounted for $81.8 million—more than 60% of all capital raised by local startups in 2025. The region’s major assets include Dalhousie University, IWK Health, the QEII Health Sciences Centre, the Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub, and the National Research Council.

Life Sciences Sector

OCEANS

Canada’s Ocean City

Halifax is a global centre for ocean science, technology and business, with expertise spanning marine robotics, sensors, autonomous systems, naval technology, fisheries, aquaculture, offshore energy, climate research, and sustainable ocean resources. Its location on one of the world’s largest natural harbours gives researchers and companies direct access to a real-world environment for developing, testing, and demonstrating ocean solutions.

Nova Scotia is home to more than 500 ocean-sector companies, including Canada’s largest concentration of ocean-technology startups. The province’s ocean economy generates approximately $6 billion (13.5% of provincial GDP) and ocean technology accounts for roughly one-third of all private-sector research and development in Nova Scotia. Halifax is also home to Canada’s largest ocean research centre, the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, with approximately 600 scientists, engineers, and technicians, as well as the Centre for Ocean Venture and Entrepreneurship (COVE), the Ocean Frontier Institute and Canada’s Ocean Supercluster.

Oceans Sector

AEROSPACE & DEFENSE

Built Around Canada’s Atlantic Fleet

Halifax is one of Canada’s most important centres for naval operations, shipbuilding, and defence innovation. Home to Canadian Forces Base Halifax, Canada’s East Coast Navy, and 12 Wing Shearwater, the region brings together military operations, major defence contractors, research organizations and companies specializing in shipbuilding, aerospace, cybersecurity, autonomous systems, maritime surveillance, and in-service support.

CFB Halifax supports approximately 10,000 military members and civilian defence employees, making it Canada’s largest military base. Across Nova Scotia, aerospace and defence employs approximately 17,000 people and contributes about $2.6 billion annually to the provincial economy. Halifax is also home to Defence Research and Development Canada’s Atlantic Research Centre, Maritime Defence Innovation Secure Hub (DISH), and the North American regional office of NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator (DIANA), strengthening the city’s connections to Canadian and allied defence research.

Aerospace Sector

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

A Connected Innovation Hub

Halifax has a growing technology ecosystem spanning software development, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, gaming, digital media, financial technology, and clean technology. Global companies, startups, universities, and research centres benefit from a highly educated workforce, strong digital infrastructure and a close-knit innovation community that makes collaboration across sectors easier.

Halifax is home to more than 2,000 technology companies, while over 30,000 people are employed in information and communications technology occupations across Nova Scotia. Halifax is also home to more than 10 research and innovation hubs and was ranked among CBRE’s top five “Next 25” emerging North American technology markets. The city’s technology strengths increasingly intersect with healthcare, oceans, defence, energy, and advanced manufacturing, creating relevant expertise for a wide range of conferences and business events.

Technology Sector

What Does Halifax’s Sector Expertise Mean for Your Event?

Hosting your conference in a city with established expertise that’s relevant to your group means added opportunities for success. Halifax’s connected network of researchers, academic institutions, healthcare organizations, government partners, industry associations, and businesses can help strengthen your program, engage delegates, and connect your event with relevant local knowledge and resources.

Build a Stronger Program

Access local researchers, industry leaders and innovators who may contribute as keynote speakers, panelists, moderators or technical presenters. Halifax’s universities, research centres, and sector organizations can also help identify timely topics, emerging research, and knowledgeable local voices that add depth and credibility to your program.

Connect with the Local Community

Halifax’s collaborative business and research community makes it easier to connect with organizations and professionals whose work aligns with your event. These relationships can support local host committees, advisory groups, sponsorship opportunities, knowledge exchange, and participation from the regional community.

Bring Research and Innovation to Life

Extend the delegate experience through research-facility tours, laboratory visits, demonstrations and behind-the-scenes programming. Technical tours and off-site experiences can connect conference content with the people, places, and innovations shaping the sector in Halifax.

Support Attendance and Engagement

Connections with local associations, companies, researchers, professionals and students can help build awareness and encourage regional participation. Halifax’s concentration of post-secondary institutions also creates opportunities for student volunteers, poster sessions, competitions, mentorship, and emerging-talent programming.

Create Opportunities for Partnership

Bringing an event to Halifax can create connections between delegates and Canadian researchers, businesses, and public-sector organizations. These introductions may lead to research collaborations, commercial partnerships, investment discussions, and future projects that continue after the event.

Leave a Meaningful Legacy

Events can contribute to a sector’s continued growth by sharing knowledge, inspiring students, supporting community initiatives or creating new professional networks. Discover Halifax can help planners explore opportunities to connect their event with local priorities and generate benefits that last beyond the closing session.

Access More, More Easily

Halifax’s compact and connected urban centre places major universities, hospitals, research facilities, businesses, hotels, and event venues within easy reach. This proximity makes it easier to include local speakers, site visits, networking events and sector-focused experiences without complicated transportation logistics.

Halifax’s Sector Expertise