This would be the latest in a series of take-overs of Vancouver structures by tech and e-commerce giants
.jpg)
Apple is reportedly planning on taking over two storeys of a tower currently under construction near the intersection of West Georgia and Homer Street in downtown Vancouver.
Slated for completion by 2020, the building would see the latest in a spate of tech giants taking roost in major Canadian cities.
The phenomenon has intensified over the past few years, not the least because of strong anti-immigrant sentiment south of the border.
“Lately, Canada has been seen as more attractive by some in the tech sector because of political issues in the United States,” NEWS 1130 business editor Richard Dettman explained.
“Canada has looser immigration laws that the United States and so it’s easier if you’re a tech talent person from another country to get into Canada.”
Another major player that is expected to move to Vancouver is Amazon, which has acquired the old Canada Post building – in fact, at very close proximity to the expected Apple office.
The structure is currently being revamped into The Post, a mixed-use building that will play host to the e-commerce leader’s largest office in Vancouver. Renovation is expected to be completed by 2023.
With the launch of the much larger office, Amazon is predicted to boost its employment in Vancouver from the current 1,000+ technical specialists to approximately 5,000 employees.
“We don’t want to be someone who just takes,” Amazon Web Services Canada director Eric Gales said in an interview with the Georgia Straight earlier this year. “We want to contribute back to continuing to develop Vancouver as a great technology hub.”
