This afternoon at the Canadian Identity Summit, the Canadian Cybersecurity Network, Canada's largest technology community released CyberTowns 2024 - the results of the best Canadian cybersecurity communities to work in.  

CyberTowns is a new annual program run by the Canadian Cybersecurity Network.

Unlike many other national community surveys, CyberTowns not only looks at key national statistics on community livability but also looks to identify the best communities to start and thrive a cybersecurity/IT related career. The results and the forthcoming report looks at available statistical data but it also surveys CCN members from across the country.  Only communities with a population of over 100,000 were analyzed.

CyberTowns celebrates the unique ways communities attract and keep cyber/IT talent as well as how they compete on the global scene for this scarce talent.

Some of the data that was reviewed was: location job rank, affordability, population growth, taxes, crime, weather, health, amenities, community support and internet access.

The top 10 communities in Canada are:

1. Toronto
2. Edmonton
3. Calgary
4. Winnipeg
5. Ottawa
6. Vancouver
7. Nepean
8. Victoria
9. Brampton
10. Halifax

Two of the biggest surprises in the top ten results were Edmonton and Winnipeg. Coming in number twelve and thirteen were Moncton and Saskatoon, not normally seen as cybersecurity powerhouses, but Covid and remote work, have changed where people want to live and where they can work from. 

Coming in 18th, 25th and 27th were cybersecurity powerhouses Laval, Quebec and Montreal. Quebec's higher taxes were a big reason for the lower rankings amongst a few other reasons. Also lower surprisingly were Kitchener and Waterloo coming in 30th and 32nd.

Even though Fredericton did not make the population limit and was initially excluded from our research, we were highly enthused by the support it received in the CCN community and the results of it's liveability. Expect to see it amongst the leaders in the future.

Francois Guay, Founder of the Canadian Cybersecurity Network said "Celebrating our top cybersecurity communities is key to growing the talent and business ecosystems in Canada. Not only do we need to encourage communities to build great liveable cities, but we need to make sure, we escalate our cyber innovation and infrastructure in those communities. If Canada wants to continue to thrive economically, cybersecurity resources must be kept in Canada".

The CyberTowns report will be made available in mid-May free of charge globally to attract investors, new companies and talent to Canada.