CyberVoices

The Canadian mindset typically is that our largest technology centers are Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Kitchener Waterloo in that order. And those centers have huge technology talent bases and have built solid business hubs over the years to support this growth. But the winds of change are blowing in and with them different expectations from the technology workforce, therefore seeding the rise of new technology/cybersecurity powerhouses.

Covid and therefore remote work created a seismic change in the cybersecurity industry. Not only because of increased ransomware attacks and a more vulnerable working population and environment, but what it meant for talent redistribution across this country.

Experienced cybersecurity talent in Canada have many career options to choose from and have the ability in many cases to choose to work remotely. And during the pandemic many chose to relocate to a new community either for a more relaxed lifestyle or to care for elderly parents.

The younger generation had a bit of a different epiphany. With the cost of living and buying a house or starting a family going through the roof generally in large cities, many opted to leave the big city and go work in different provinces and communities. The majority of cybersecurity

resources at risk are related to city infrastructure, like transportation, heat and hydro, services like libraries, local hospitals, schools as we have seen in the news time and time again. So as ransomware and cybersecurity threats grew across the country, communities started recruiting and building up their defenses. Cybersecurity talent accepted the challenge and, in many cases, the lower costs and affordability that came with it.

Edmonton and Calgary are two prime beneficiaries of these conditions. Edmonton and Calgary came out 2^nd and 3^rd in our national study with Winnipeg 4^th. Lower taxes in Alberta, home affordability, amenities and access to nature were prime drivers especially for the younger population. Winnipeg was a major surprise but makes a lot of sense when you consider the important cybersecurity infrastructure it needs to defend as well as the amazing efforts underway in the community around technology and service collaboration. These communities have embraced collaboration across services, cities and across their province so that they can bring value to cybersecurity/tech talent and businesses. Collaboration is the new currency; and some communities are leveraging this new currency better than others to make major strides in growing their cybersecurity talent base. Others are still stuck in a power struggle, where everyone competes for limited dollars and mind share. In the longer-term communities who do not collaborate well will continue to struggle and lose ground to communities who embrace collaboration. Cybersecurity is a team sport, lets get in the game.