Vancouver continues to solidify its position as one of North America's leading tech hubs, ranking #9 overall among the top 50 tech talent markets according to CBRE’s 2026 Scoring Tech Talent report. With high-quality talent and a deep pool of skilled professionals, the region remains a top destination for companies seeking innovation and growth. Explore what’s shaping Vancouver's tech ecosystem.

Vancouver advanced one position from last year’s report to rank among North America’s top 10 tech talent markets.

As of 2025, Vancouver boasts a total tech talent workforce of 127,700 workers, qualifying it as a "Large Tech Talent Market" (>50,000 workforce).

Along with Toronto and Montreal, Vancouver is a top hub for artificial intelligence, collectively containing 60% of Canada's total AI-specialty talent.

According to the report's Tech Talent Quality vs. Cost Analysis, Vancouver offers some of the best value in North America. Due in part to currency exchange rates, it provides an "Exceptional" to "Very High" concentration of labor quality at a relatively low operating cost compared to American peers.

For a 500-person tech company occupying 60,000 sq. ft. of office space, the estimated annualized operating cost in Vancouver is US$42M. In comparison, San Francisco as the #1 tech market comes in at a cost of US$90.6M annually.

Vancouver had the lowest office vacancy rate among Canada's major tech markets in Q4 2025, at 11.4%, compared to 17.9% in Toronto, 18.5% in Montreal, and 25.9% in Calgary.

Between 2019 and 2024, Vancouver saw an influx of young talent. The population of residents in their 20s grew by 17.4%, and residents in their 30s exploded by 27.0%, the fastest growth rate across all large North American markets.

At a glance, here is CBRE’s ranking of the top 10 tech talent cities in North America:

Vancouver’s combination of world-class software engineering talent, rapid AI adoption, cost competitiveness, and a growing young workforce shows its reputation as a premier global tech hub. For investors, startups, and multinationals alike, the city offers not only a strong talent base but also long-term sustainability in one of the most dynamic markets in North America.

For tailored guidance on securing the right office or industrial space for your tech company, The High Technology Facilities Group (The HTFG) at CBRE is here to help.  Reach out to connect!

The HTFG: Blair Quinn, Alain Rivere, Andre Alie Day, Nico Quinn

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