Sector Highlight:

Halifax and ICT go together like gigabit connections and a self-generating power grid.

The ICT industry in Halifax is a powerhouse. Nova Scotia placed first in Canada in the Branham Group’s 2015 list of the top 25 Canadian up-and-coming ICT start-ups. And the industry has only blossomed from there, with expertise in interactive media, IT services, transatlantic telecommunications, enterprise solutions, e-health applications, data analytics, cyber security, artificial intelligence, and more.

Sure, Halifax is a great place to be—a waterfront paradise of microbreweries, theatre, dining, and live music. But what else could account for this density of ICT expertise? Well, it’s the technology. We’ve got a state of the art fibre optic network with gigabit connections and a self-generating power grid. It’s our collaborative and innovative approach. Industry, government, and education work together to foster new thinking. It’s our people—experts who are trained early, well, and right here in our own post-secondary programs. And it’s dollars and cents. We offer the lowest operating costs in North America for digital services companies.

The facts of the matter.

• Over 1,000 ICT companies call Nova Scotia home.
• 8.2% of Nova Scotia’s business sector output is connected to ICT
• Of all private R&D spending in the province, about 38% is ICT-related
• IBM landed on us for their first Canadian Client Innovation Centre
• Ernst & Young’s Canadian Centre of Analytics is here in Nova Scotia
• The Hibernia Atlantic subsea cables come ashore near Halifax, offering the world’s best internet connections to both Europe and the eastern US

ICT expertise is cultivated right here at home.

Specialized education programs at our universities and colleges nurture the talent that will support future growth of our ICT sector. Just a few notable examples include Nova Scotia Community College’s Advanced Diploma in Business Intelligence Analytics; Acadia University’s Acadia Institute for Data Analytics; Dalhousie University’s Institute for Big Data Analytics; and Saint Mary’s University’s applied Master of Science degree in Computing & Data Analytics.

Halifax is home base for ICT innovation.

Coachella
This world-famous music festival uses a software platform that was developed here in Nova Scotia.

Maritech Dynamics
Their advanced technology helps international seafood businesses lower costs and improve food safety.

Beyond Trust
Employing a team of more than 130, they design, code, and test enterprise security software.

Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems
A world leader in solutions for undersea surveillance, magneto-inductive technology, and infrastructure optimization and protection.

In Halifax, we foster ICT excellence with investment.

At about 50%, our digital media tax credit is one of the highest in Canada. But there are other financial reasons for ICT innovation to flourish here. Halifax offers a 15% cost savings over the U.S. average cost for software development; we offer provincial grants, loans, and guarantees; there are energy efficiency and productivity incentives; and trade and export support programs inspire growth.

Contact Discover Halifax to learn more!

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