On Thursday, May 14, the Ottawa Board of Trade convened business and community leaders for a dynamic series of discussions with Jeffrey Maddox, President of Nokia Canada, highlighting Ottawa’s growing role as a global hub for advanced technology and innovation.
The engagement included both a closed-door roundtable with OBOT Pillar Partners and a Mayor’s Breakfast event, bringing together leaders from across sectors to explore Ottawa’s competitive advantage in the rapidly evolving global digital economy.
At the Mayor’s Breakfast, Maddox underscored Nokia’s deep roots in Ottawa, where one of its top five global operations employs approximately 2,500 people, largely in research and development. Ottawa-based teams are driving critical advancements in artificial intelligence, high-speed connectivity, and quantum security—technologies that underpin everything from 5G networks to next-generation data centres.
A significant highlight shared during the event was Nokia’s upcoming investment in a new 750,000 square foot campus in Ottawa. Construction is set to begin next week, representing over $1 billion in investment and reinforcing confidence in the region’s talent, infrastructure, and innovation ecosystem.
Complementing this discussion, OBOT’s roundtable with Pillar Partners focused on Ottawa’s opportunity to lead in the next era of global innovation. Participants emphasized that while the region is already home to 66,000 tech jobs and contributes $18 billion annually to the economy, realizing its full potential will require coordinated action.
Leaders highlighted the importance of a “team sport” approach – bringing together business, government, post-secondary institutions, and industry partners to accelerate commercialization, strengthen infrastructure, attract investment, and scale Canadian innovation domestically and globally. Key themes included AI adoption, quantum security, procurement policy, and enhancing Canada’s global competitiveness.
Across both conversations, a clear message emerged: Ottawa has the talent, research capacity, and industry leadership to compete on the world stage. Continued collaboration, strategic investment, and strong storytelling will be essential to ensuring Canadian companies can grow globally while remaining rooted at home.
A big thank you to Jeffrey Maddox and all participants for their leadership and insights. OBOT remains committed to convening leaders, amplifying Ottawa’s strengths, and advancing the conditions for long-term economic growth and prosperity.