Halifax identified as key up-and-coming North American market for tech talent

Nova Scotia's technology industry has experienced rapid growth in recent years, but how do we stack up against other cities? The numbers are in according to the 2023 CRBE Scoring Tech Talent report, Halifax is a standout Canadian market, ranking 4th for key up-and-coming North American cities. The CRBE Scoring Tech Talent report is an annual publication that assesses and ranks the top 50 markets in the U.S. and Canada based on their competitive advantages and appeal to employers and tech talent employees. The report also highlights 25 emerging North American tech talent markets that show significant growth potential. Halifax is among only three Canadian cities that made that list, and the only one that made the top five. Joining Halifax is London (8th) and Winnipeg (18th). The top three include Huntsville (1st), Colorado Springs (2nd) and Dayton (3rd). It's an upward trajectory that has only continued for Nova Scotia's capital city, jumping from 12th place in 2020 to 7th in 2021, outranking many large cities with double the population.
Quick Halifax 2021 vs. 2022 Stats
Total Tech Employment (2022): 16,100 (+1,400) Total Tech Growth (5 Years): 58% (+34%) Total Tech Wages (2022): $61,511 USD (+$6,270 USD) Total Tech Wage Growth (5 Years): 21% (+12%) Software Developer Wages (2022): $61,511 USD (+$1,868 USD) Software Developer Wage Growth (5 Years): 25.9% (+10.3%) Tech Talent Degree Graduates (2021): 1,998 834 (+1,164) Eight Canadian cities made the top 50 list, including tech hubs in Toronto (5th) and Vancouver (8th). The report indicates there is a high demand for tech talent in both large and small markets as companies across all industries increase and expand their use and implementation of technology.
Key report findings:
- Overall, tech talent employment grew by 11% between 2020 and 2022, with tech companies adding nearly 2.5 times more workers than the next highest industry sector: professional services;
- Software developers and programmers across all industries accounted for 60% of the new talent employment;
- Job postings for remote tech talent grew to 20% of the 593,000 total tech job postings in May 2023.
[fusion_button link="https://digitalnovascotia.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-Scoring-Tech-Talent.pdf" text_transform="" title="" target="_blank" link_attributes="" alignment_medium="" alignment_small="" alignment="" modal="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" sticky_display="normal,sticky" class="" id="" color="default" button_gradient_top_color="" button_gradient_bottom_color="" button_gradient_top_color_hover="" button_gradient_bottom_color_hover="" accent_color="" accent_hover_color="" type="" bevel_color="" border_width="" border_radius="" border_color="" border_hover_color="" size="" stretch="default" margin_top="" margin_right="" margin_bottom="" margin_left="" icon="" icon_position="left" icon_divider="no" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset=""]Read the Full 2023 Report[/fusion_button]
Similar articles
See all articles
Atlantic Canada goes ALL IN on AI with 2026 trade delegation
Atlantic Canada’s artificial intelligence sector is heading to Montréal. On September 16 and 17, Digital Nova Scotia, with the support of Nukleo , will lead 37 organizations from across the region to…

A decade of innovation, a new class of finalists: Meet the 2026 Tech Forward Award finalists
Milestone 10th annual celebration will recognize outstanding people and organizations across the province’s tech sector HALIFAX, NS — The countdown to one of Nova Scotia’s biggest celebrations of tec…

Skills for Hire Atlantic — Foundations Edition | Learners of Distinction
Behind every career in tech is a different starting point and a willingness to keep learning.

Understanding Your AI Opportunity: Where Should Your Organization Actually Use AI?
Expert Series features guest perspectives from leaders across Nova Scotia’s tech community, sharing practical insights, lessons learned and real-world expertise through the Digital Nova Scotia platfo…

Digital Nova Scotia Memberships
Join our community!
With over 400 members and a growing community of 10,000 tech professionals, including leaders across industry, government, academia, and non-profits, DNS is the leading association representing Nova Scotia’s tech sector.
Become a member