Employment in the Technology and ICT Sector in Canada (2024)

Canada’s tech sector powers 1.8M jobs, pays 50% more than average, and grows 2.5x faster than the economy

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1. ICT Sector Employment (Narrow definition: hardware, software, telecom, IT services)
   • According to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and ICTC (Information and Communications Technology Council) Canada,
   • ~720,000 people were directly employed in the ICT sector in Canada in 2023–2024.
   • Source: ISED “Canada’s ICT Sector Profile 2023” and ICTC “Digital Talent Outlook 2025”.
2. Broader Tech Sector (including cleantech, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, AI, fintech, etc.)
   • Estimates expand to ~1.8 million people, or about 8.6% of total Canadian employment.
   • This includes:
     • ICT core roles
     • Technology-adjacent sectors (like digital media, advanced manufacturing tech, biotech, clean energy tech)
     • Non-technical roles within tech companies (sales, marketing, HR in tech firms).
   • Source: Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship — “The State of Canada’s Tech Sector 2023”; ICTC “Canada’s Growth Currency: Digital Talent Outlook 2025”.
3. Growth Rate
   • The tech sector is growing its employment base at roughly 2.5x the pace of the overall economy.
   • Between 2019 and 2023, tech employment grew by about 18%, while overall employment grew by ~7%.
   • Source: ICTC and Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey (custom tabulations for tech employment categories).
4. Geographic Distribution
   • Tech jobs are concentrated, but not exclusive to big cities:
     • Toronto: ~400,000
     • Montreal: ~250,000
     • Vancouver: ~150,000
     • Ottawa: ~75,000
     • Growing clusters: Waterloo, Calgary, Halifax, Quebec City, Winnipeg
   • Source: Brookfield Institute, “Canada’s Tech Sector Snapshot 2023”.
5. Wage Premium
   • The tech sector pays a significant wage premium:
     • Average ICT sector wage: ~$90,000–95,000 CAD/year
     • Compared to the national average of ~$59,000 CAD/year.
   • Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey 2023.

Bottom-line

“Canada’s tech sector directly employs more than 1.8 million Canadians, representing about 8.6% of the national workforce. Core ICT roles account for ~720,000 jobs, with the broader ecosystem — including cleantech, life sciences, AI, and advanced manufacturing — driving employment in every region of the country. Tech jobs pay on average 50% higher than the national median, and the sector is growing its workforce at over 2.5 times the rate of the overall economy.”

Sources: ISED Canada, ICTC Canada, Brookfield Institute, Statistics Canada 2023–2024.