IBM expanding Calgary facility, will create 250 new jobs
IBM Canada will be opening a new client innovation centre in Calgary, and said its creation will generate 250 new jobs.
The new client innovation centre will service all of Western Canada and will be located in a portion of the 25,000 square-foot office IBM currently occupies in the Beltline.
"We will be renovating and reinvigorating that space to make it even more amazing to collaborate with our client and new employees that we're going to be hiring," said Laura Hartwell, vice president Western Canada for IBM.
Jobs created will be in artificial intelligence, hybrid cloud, 5G and security – including application developers, business and transformation analysts, testers and project managers.
The company said the centre will play an important role in contributing to Alberta's economic growth.
"It will accelerate innovation in sustainable practices and advance the position of Alberta as a hub for energy transformation," said Dave McCann, president of IBM Canada, in a Wednesday release.
Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek said the expansion of IBM in the downtown core is "yet another signal of confidence in our city's growing tech sector."
She later added, these investments are instrumental in achieving our goal of creating more than 1000 new tech companies in our city over the next decade."
The city contributed $5 million for the launch as part of its Opportunity Investment Fund. The province matched that amount as part of the "Jobs Now" program.
Premier Jason Kenney said IBM noticed the Alberta advantage, and is helping diversify the economy.
"(IBM has) been looking at the whole range of incentives, the tax structure, availability of incentives for skilled labour, the labour market situation, the training picture in the region," he said.
The Calgary Chamber of Commerce said the announcement is validating for a city that has endured seven years of economic instability, as companies packed up downtown offices.
Chamber President and CEO Deb Yedlin said attracting deals like this requires strategic moves.
"Sometimes you have to spend money to attract businesses. That's what we need to do more often, I would argue, in Calgary and in Alberta," said Yedlin to CTV News on Wednesday.
She later added, "This is a game that is played everywhere. It's played around the world. And we need to be part of that game. This is table stakes."
According to a report from Calgary Economic Development and international data corporation (IDC) Canada, Alberta's spending on digital transformation is expected to surpass $20 billion by 2024, of which Calgary businesses will account for nearly $7.5 billion, which represents an average growth of 13 per cent across all industries.
IBM said internal recruiting is underway, with the jobs being added over the next five years.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
'Tactical evacuations' underway near Fort Nelson, B.C., as wildfires encroach
The BC Wildfire Service says 'tactical evacuations' began Friday near Fort Nelson, B.C., due to an out-of-control wildfire that has grown rapidly since it was discovered earlier in the afternoon.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.