Information and communications technology
Montréal is a premier North American ICT hub with more than 160,000 tech workers, representing a 15% growth between 2019 and 2024, and over 100,000 software developers with strategic skills in programming languages such as Java, SQL, and Python. The city’s ICT sector represents more than 10% of private jobs in Greater Montréal, $27,03B of Québec’s GDP and more than $13.13B in exports.
Montréal’s ICT industry: growth, diversity and vision
Montréal ranks 5th in North America for ICT jobs, with a wide range of businesses operating in manufacturing, software, electronic data processing services, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, telecommunications services, interactive digital media/services, audiovisual/digital sound and digital arts. The city’s dynamic ICT sector includes cluster organizations, venture capital firms, incubators and accelerators as well as research centres.
Information technologies are key to Montréal’s economy in sectors such as aerospace, gaming, clean tech, biotech, fintech, software programming and development, IT services and AI. The city boasts a booming startup sector, and is home to 30 incubators and accelerators.
A hotbed of technological research and innovation
Montréal is also home to many recognized public research establishments that actively collaborate with the ICT industry, such as the Energy Materials Telecommunications Research Centre of the National Institute of Scientific Research (INRS-EMT), the McGill Centre for Intelligent Machines and the Concordia Centre for Signal Processing and Communications, to name but a few.
Montréal is the number one city in Canada for university research funding with $1.6B in investments. Of the more than 30,000 university students enrolled in IT-related programs in the province, more than half study in Montréal. The city is also home to more than 450 research centres in many key sectors. Together, the city and the province are a major Canadian hub for R&D investments with $9.7B from the private sector.
ICT world leaders based in, or with offices in, Montréal:
- CGI
- IBM
- CAE
- Fujitsu
- Ericsson
- Ubisoft
- Electronic Arts
- Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
- Autodesk
- Bell
- Telus
- Tata consultancy services
Montréal ranks first in the world for manufacturing flight simulators (PWC, 2023).
Major events
- 2023 Forum InCyber
Attendance: 2,500
- 2024 Forum InCyber ( formerly Forum International de la Cybersécurité)
Attendance: 4,000
- 2025 Forum InCyber (formerly Forum International de la Cybersécurité)
Attendance: 5,500
- 2022 International Cybersecurity Forum
Attendance: 1,200
- IETF 124: North America 2025
Attendance: 1,100
