Sector Highlight:

When it comes to power in finance, the smart money is always on Halifax.

Simply put, Halifax was and is (and yes, will remain) the region's hub for all manner of finance—from shared services and middle/back-office operations, to fund administration and insurance. And this isn’t something new. The city has a long and storied history of financial dominance. Three of Canada's largest banks—CIBC, Bank of Nova Scotia, and Royal Bank of Canada—were founded in Halifax centuries ago. Today, the city’s home to some of the largest and most important financial companies in the world. Think Citco Fund Services, Butterfield Fulcrum (Bermuda), Marsh (New York), Royal Sun Alliance (RSA), Admiral Insurance (UK), and more.

The city is geographically relevant too, as Hibernia Atlantic (the cable landing point for North America) is located in Halifax. This trans-Atlantic network exists to meet the global financial industry’s need for increased bandwidth capacity and security. It makes the quickest data route between Europe and North America, and therefore critical to the global financial community.

The facts of the matter.

• Halifax is home to over 1,000 finance, insurance, and real estate firms.
• Our financial services companies employ over 18,000 people.
• Financial communication is via world-class, secure fibre optic network & gigabit connections, featuring the GTT Atlantic Halifax International Exchange Centre
• KPMG named Halifax as the fastest-growing hedge fund administration centre in Canada.

An academic commitment to the growth of finance.

Our universities and community colleges are modern and innovative training grounds for current and future leaders in the finance sector. For example, Dalhousie University offers an MBA Financial Services Program based on partnership with the financial services community, including the Institute for Canadian Bankers, Canadian Securities Institute, and Life Office Management Association. Also, The Nova Scotia Community College offers an Investment Management concentration as a second-year option of the Business Administration program.

Halifax is where world-class financial services thrive and grow.

RBC
A multinational financial services company and the largest bank in Canada by market capitalization.

EY (Ernst & Young)
International finance giant with four integrated service lines—Assurance, Advisory, Tax and Strategy, and Transactions.

Scotiabank
Founded in Halifax, Scotiabank is one of North America's leading financial institutions.

TD Meloche Monnex
Part of the TD Bank Group, one of Canada’s largest financial services organizations, working in general insurance, and life and health insurance.

Butterfield
A full-service bank and wealth manager headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Citco Fund Services
The world's largest hedge fund administrator, managing over $1 trillion in assets.

In Halifax, we foster the financial services sector with investment.

We have dozens of local programs and incentives in place to inspire the vibrancy and growth of finance in Halifax. A few examples include the Nova Scotia Payroll Rebate, an earned incentive paid out annually after a company achieves pre-determined targets; and the Nova Scotia Workplace Innovation and Productivity Skills Incentive, which funds invests in employee and management skills development.

Contact Discover Halifax to learn more!

Ready to learn more, or to start planning your event in Halifax?  Contact our sector expert today.