Halifax holds its place as North America’s No. 2 emerging tech talent market

Halifax holds its place as North America’s No. 2 emerging tech talent market

Halifax has been named the No. 2 emerging tech talent market in North America for the second year in a row. That alone is worth celebrating. More interesting, though, is what the numbers say about the market taking shape here: Halifax is growing quickly, producing a steady stream of graduates and remaining cost-competitive with cities across Canada and the United States. The recognition comes from CBRE’s Scoring Tech Talent 2026 report, released August 18. The annual study looked at 75 markets, ranking 25 smaller “opportunity markets” separately from North America’s 50 largest tech hubs. Halifax finished behind only Huntsville, Alabama, and ahead of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Dayton, Ohio; and London, Ontario. It held the same No. 2 position in 2025. This year’s report gives us a closer look at why.

A growing workforce and a strong talent pipeline

Halifax was home to 20,300 tech workers in 2025, giving it the seventh-largest workforce among CBRE’s 25 opportunity markets. Over three years, that workforce grew by 19.4%—the fourth-fastest pace in the group and faster than every other Canadian market on the list. There is more talent coming. Halifax produced 1,346 tech degree graduates in 2024, ranking seventh among the 25 markets. That was more than London, Ontario, with 1,155 graduates, and more than twice Winnipeg’s 507. For an employer weighing its next location, that matters. Halifax has a workforce large enough to support companies now — and a pipeline that can help them grow.

Cost competitiveness with momentum

Halifax offers companies a competitive environment for building and growing technology teams. According to CBRE, the average annual wage for a tech worker was US$71,500 in 2025, while software developers earned an average of US$70,071.

Those wages are also rising. Overall tech wages grew 21.1% over three years — the second-fastest increase among the 25 markets studied—while software developer wages increased 18.4%.

For companies and workers alike, the numbers point to a maturing market: one where businesses can scale competitively and skilled professionals are seeing new opportunities emerge.

Halifax by the numbers

CBRE measure

Halifax result

Standing among 25 opportunity markets

Overall rank

No. 2

No. 2

Tech employment, 2025

20,300

7th-largest

Three-year tech employment growth

19.4%

4th-fastest

Average annual tech wage, 2025

US$71,500

3rd-lowest

Three-year tech wage growth

21.1%

2nd-fastest

Average software developer wage, 2025

US$70,071

2nd-lowest

Three-year software developer wage growth

18.4%

7th-fastest

Tech degree graduates, 2024

1,346

7th-largest pipeline

A Canadian growth story with Nova Scotia at its centre

Halifax’s performance is part of a larger Canadian growth story. According to CBRE’s Canadian findings, tech employment across the country grew by 91,300 jobs, or 7.6%, in 2025. Since 2022, Canada’s tech talent workforce has expanded by 183,000 people, or 16.5% — more than twice the 7.1% growth in overall Canadian employment. AI is helping reshape that workforce. CBRE found that the number of workers with artificial intelligence skills across Canada and the United States increased 45% in one year, reaching 751,000 by mid-2026. As companies rethink where to build technology teams, cities that offer talent, value and room to grow are getting a closer look. Halifax is one of those cities. Its second consecutive No. 2 ranking points to something bigger than a good year: Nova Scotia is building a deeper technology workforce, backed by a strong post-secondary pipeline and a business environment where global companies can grow competitively. For companies looking beyond North America’s largest — and most expensive — technology centres, Halifax is no longer simply a market to watch. It has earned its place.