British Columbia just secured its spot as the innovation hub of Canada.
Written by Jordana Colomby
Amazon just announced Vancouver will be the home of its new headquarters, creating 3,000 new e-commerce technology, cloud computing and machine learning jobs. After falling short on their bid earlier this year, the industry giant has chosen the lively B.C. city for its new location. The Development Centre will be built over the old Canada Post headquarters, a city landmark. Located at 349 West Georgia Street, the centre is on track to open in 2022. Amazon also announced its plan for a second location on Dunsmuir Street in downtown Vancouver as early as 2020.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the big win on Monday, saying Canada is “highly educated, skilled and diverse,” and confirming that the country is ready to take on these big tech jobs and help shape the future of the tech industry. Amazon has already created over 6,000 jobs for Canadians in various areas of the company and LinkedIn ranked it the fourth most desirable employer in the country.
Amazon is committed to recruiting top talent from Canadian universities and ensuring locals are getting in on the ground floor of the Canadian branch of the company. Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said the announcement is great news for the city’s future: “We are home to the fastest growing, most resilient and greenest economy in Canada and Amazon’s major expansion in our city means more long-term jobs for people who want to live, work and build a future in Vancouver.”
Other members of the B.C. government praised the decision, saying the investment will add to the province’s well-earned reputation as an innovation hub.
