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

Nokia Canada and the federal, provincial and city governments have announced plans to turn the company's Canadian headquarters in west Ottawa into a research and development centre.

Nokia said it's contributing $340 million toward the project that will transform its 26-acre campus at the Kanata North business park into a mixed-use corporate, residential and commercial hub built using sustainable technologies.

It plans to begin site construction in 2023 and expects to open the new facility in 2026. The project is expected to create more than 340 new jobs.

The three levels of government are contributing $72 million in funding: $40 million from the federal government, $30 million provincially and $2 million from the city.

WATCH | Growing Nokia's presence in Ottawa:

Nokia Canada project will bring new jobs to Kanata North business park, mayor says

2 years ago

Duration 0:35

Nokia Canada announced Monday that it would contribute $340 million toward transforming its west Ottawa headquarters into a research and development centre. Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson says the project will create more than 300 jobs in the city.

Nokia said the tech hub will significantly expand its capacity in 5G, cyber security, artificial intelligence and machine learning.

"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," said Nokia Canada president Jeffrey Maddox in a statement.

The federal government said the announcement is a step toward strengthening Canada's wireless network and will help pave the way for new opportunities in the areas of clean energy, smart cities, precision agriculture, autonomous vehicles and advanced telemedicine.