Aurakey Talks
February 13, 2017: Why is Fort McMurray not Tech?
Why Isn’t Fort McMurray Leading the Canadian Tech Revolution?
Exciting levels of growth have taken place in Fort McMurray, Alberta. According to census figures from 2011, the areas book tech cities tend to be near established research universities. The educational centres serve as hubs for experimentation and the development of new talent. Students go on to create business relationships with other like-minded students and sometimes found start-up companies. As more technology-based companies emerge, the location attracts other technological companies because the infrastructure and talent are in place.
The tech sectors in Vancouver and Toronto illustrate this growth. CBRE, a commercial real estate firm, collected data about tech employment in North America and found that tech employment grew by 50.1 percent to 57,500 employees in Vancouver between 2010 and 2015. During the same period, tech employment in Toronto expanded by 35 percent to 179,200 employees. The University of British Columbia and University of Toronto form the educational foundations for these tech hubs.
The Future of Fort McMurray
Although we are currently experiencing an oil boom and attracting immigrants to new jobs, the necessary factors for becoming a tech city are not in place. The population is low compared to major metropolitan areas, and we do not currently have a research university. In order to compete with other Canadian tech cities, Fort McMurray will need to continue to grow.
_______________________________________________________________________