Last week Microsoft announced that it is expanding its presence in Canada by opening a new software development center in Greater Vancouver this fall. This is excellent news for the Vancouver technology space as it will attract the next generation of leading software developers from all around the world. Vancouver's proximity to Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, WA had to be a huge consideration and was most likely what tipped the scales in favor of the West Coast over Toronto.
“In collaboration with our Redmond head office, we determined that opening a regional development center in Canada would create a tremendous opportunity for Canada,” said Phil Sorgen, president of Microsoft Canada. “We have long advocated that Canada would be a wonderful place to locate Microsoft development. We have burgeoning high-tech and software industries and a globally envied quality of life, and our cities represent exactly the kind of environment that leading information workers want to live in. This center will help Microsoft remain globally competitive while providing strong economic benefits to British Columbia and Canada.”
Mark Evans of MapleLeaf 2.0 suggested that a Canadian facility is a way for Microsoft to recruit top-notch talent at a time when immigration rules are making it difficult to bring engineers and developers into the United States. Either way, the presence of Microsoft along with other uber-employers (Electronic Arts, Business Objects, and Kodak Graphic) in Vancouver will be a boost for the local job market and attract other companies looking to cherry-pick talent.
What a shame:
The City of Richmond, British Columbia is pleased to announce it has been chosen as the home for the new Microsoft Canada Development Centre.
[...] security, and perceived quality of work are making Canada a popular option. Microsoft’s decision to expand their own development staff in Canada may also have something to do with this new [...]
