Nokia to spend $340M to upgrade Canadian HQ in Ottawa

Nokia Canada and federal, provincial and municipal partners today announced plans to transform Nokia’s Ottawa, ON, facility into a world-leading, sustainable research and development (R&D) hub. The tech center will significantly expand Nokia Canada’s capacity in next-generation information and communications technology (ICT) and cyber security innovation. This transformation is expected to create more than 340 new, high-value jobs and help Nokia attract highly-skilled, global talent to Canada’s tech ecosystem.

Nokia Canada plans to begin site construction in 2023 and expects to open the new facility in 2026. This project will transform Nokia Canada’s 26-acre campus at the Kanata North Business Park into a sustainable, accessible mixed-use corporate, residential and commercial hub where nearly 2,160 local employees, Ottawa residents and businesses, and Canada’s entire tech ecosystem can collaborate, innovate and drive Canadian and global wellbeing and prosperity.

The new R&D hub will help secure Canada’s position as a global leader in the green digital future by broadening Nokia Canada’s expertise in 5G, cyber security, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, accelerating growth in cloud software, and enhancing digital identity management and security for devices connected to critical networks.

Pekka Lundmark, President and CEO of Nokia, said: “Nokia is helping to drive Canada’s tech leadership. This world-class, sustainable R&D hub will be one of Nokia’s most dynamic developments – and I’m proud that it will benefit the people of Ottawa also. This is an exciting day. I want to express my appreciation to the local, provincial and national governments for working with us on this project.”

Nokia Canada’s connectivity solutions form the critical foundation for major Canadian industries and infrastructure, including transportation, utilities, smart cities, government services and natural resources. Nokia Canada is also the major supplier to Canada’s leading telecommunication carriers, including 5G radio and core, fiber-to-the home, IP-routing, optical networks, cyber security, submarine cable, and network management software.   

The new Ottawa facility will support Nokia’s global target of 50 per cent greenhouse gas emission reduction by 2030 by implementing sustainable technologies, including water side heat recovery, air side heat and energy recovery, water side free cooling, and rainwater harvesting.

Jeffrey Maddox, President of Nokia Canada, said: “Today’s announcement reinforces Nokia’s commitment to the Canadian market, where we have invested $1.4 billion in R&D over the past five years. Nokia’s R&D hub will generate net-new Canadian IP and bring innovative advanced telecommunications and cyber security technologies to market, helping us achieve our goal of improving people’s lives in Canada and across the world.”

The transformed campus is expected to enable Nokia Canada to grow its Ontario-based team by more than 340 positions to 2,500, 2,160 of which will be based in Ottawa, increase co-op and intern positions for university and college students in STEM fields by 100 to 400 per year, and introduce new, cutting-edge lab space and equipment. Nokia Canada plans to invest CAD 340+ million in labs and equipment, labour, and operating costs between 2023 and 2027.

The Government of Canada is finalizing plans to provide up to CAD 40 million via its Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) and the Government of Ontario, through Invest Ontario, will provide CAD 30 million to the project. These contributions will support the long-term capability of Nokia, Canada and Ontario in cyber security, R&D, and next-gen technology, including 6G, while delivering high-paying jobs in construction and technology.

The City of Ottawa, through Hydro Ottawa, will make a capital contribution of CAD 2 million for control system upgrades.

CT Bureau