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Its Getting Hot In Here!

If you’re into tech, you probably know that Western Canada is a hot spot for the IT industry. Organizations like Amii ( Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute) have been developing, promoting and educating organizations on Artificial Intelligence for years. Fortinet, a global leader in Cybersecurity Solutions is opening a large office center in Calgary focusing on training, testing and development.  So what is so hot in Western Canada specifically? Lets review a few of the hot topics:

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the awesome technology that makes machines do things that usually need human brains, like thinking, learning, making decisions, and talking. AI has tons of uses in different areas, like health care, education, finance, and entertainment. In western Canada, AI is a big deal, as many startups, research institutes, and big companies are creating and using AI solutions. For example, Alberta is where the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (AMII) is, and that’s one of the top AI research centers in the world. They also have the Alberta AI Business Plan, which is a plan to make the province a world leader in AI. How cool is that? British Columbia is also a place where AI rocks, with companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google having AI labs in Vancouver, and the University of British Columbia having the Vector Institute, a national AI research center.

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is the practice of keeping networks, systems, devices, and data safe from bad guys who want to hack, attack, or damage them. Cybersecurity is super important for the IT industry, as it protects the users, customers, and businesses who rely on them. Cybersecurity is also a big challenge, as cyber threats get more clever, frequent, and expensive. In western Canada, cybersecurity is a top priority for both the public and private sectors, as they try to boost their cyber skills and defenses. For example, the Government of Canada has started the CyberSecure Canada program, which is a certification program that helps small and medium-sized businesses improve their cybersecurity habits. Also, western Canada has a lively cybersecurity community, with groups like the BC Cybersecurity Network, the Cybersecurity Innovation Centre, and the Cybersecurity Talent Alliance, that support cybersecurity research, education, and cooperation.

Blockchain

Blockchain is a technology that keeps track and verifies transactions in a secure, transparent, and decentralized way. Blockchain has a lot of potential uses in different industries, like finance, supply chain, health care, and energy. Blockchain is also a game-changer, as it challenges the traditional ways of trusting, governing, and exchanging value. In western Canada, blockchain is a hot topic, as the region has a dynamic blockchain community and ecosystem. For example, Vancouver is where Ethereum was born, and that’s the second-biggest blockchain platform in the world. It’s also where the Blockchain@UBC is, and that’s a group of researchers from different fields who study the social and technical aspects of blockchain. Similarly, Edmonton is where the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance (EEA) is, and that’s a global group of organizations that make standards and solutions for the Ethereum blockchain.

Start Ups

Western Canada is the home of many technology start ups. Here is a list of just a few:

  • My Eforce: patent-pending software analyzes individual location & vital signs in real-time directly from the world’s best smartwatches.
  • Attabotics: A robotics company that provides a 3D automated storage and retrieval system for warehouses and e-commerce fulfillment.
  • Neo Financial: A fintech company that offers a digital banking platform with a rewards-based credit card and a high-interest savings account.
  • Symend: A customer engagement platform that uses behavioral science and data analytics to help businesses reduce customer churn and increase loyalty.
  • ShareSmart: A medtech company that provides a secure and compliant mobile app for health professionals to communicate and collaborate with their peers and patients.
  • Jobber: A software company that provides a cloud-based platform for home service businesses to manage their operations, scheduling, invoicing, and customer relationships.

 

These topics are not only cool for the IT sector, but also for society and economy in general, as they create new opportunities, challenges, and impacts. As a result, western Canada is becoming a leading IT destination, attracting talent, investment, and innovation.

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88 percent of cybersecurity breaches are caused by human error.

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97 percent of organizations have seen an increase in cyber threats since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022.

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Using a single password, hackers infiltrated the Colonial Pipeline Company in 2021 with a ransomware attack that caused fuel shortages across the US.

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A 2021 LinkedIn data breach exposed the personal information of 700 million users or about 93 percent of all LinkedIn members.

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Over 560 million Ticketmaster customers had their information stolen in a 2024 breach.

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In 2023, security breaches saw a 72 percent increase from 2021, which held the previous all-time record.

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The average lifecycle of a breach is 292 days from identification to containment.

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The average time to identify a breach is 194 days.

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The average cost of a data breach was $4.88 million in 2024, the highest average on record.

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Average annual income for a Canadian Cyber Criminal top hacker is $10M per year.
Cyber Criminal Revenue in 2024 is estimated to have hit 9.2 Trillion USD worldwide.

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Criminal Gangs have started Cybersecurity Penetration Schools. Teaching penetration testing...then they convert them to the dark side.

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Crocodiles in Indonesia have learned to “wave” in water, simulating human child drowning. When a person goes to investigate, they become Croc Lunch.

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Grasshoppers, crickets, and locusts: Contain the highest protein content per unit of mass, around 61% on a dry basis

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Llama milk contains more protein than cow and goat milk. Sheep milk, however, has the highest protein.

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North America has a National UFO Reporting Center based out of WA, US.

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The very first Flat Earth International Conference was held in Edmonton, Alberta.

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Southern Alberta is tied with Southern Saskatchewan as the sunniest place in Canada, with over 2,375 hours of bright sunshine a year.

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The Guinness Book of World Records lists Commonwealth Bay, Antarctica as the windiest place on the planet. Katabatic winds are recorded at over 150 mph on a regular basis

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Lethbridge is the 2nd windiest City in Canada. The winner is Saint Johns, NFL. Calgary is the biggest large Wind City.

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90% of all Canadians live within 160 km of the US border.

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Canada is the home to 10% of the world’s forests.

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Canada has more lakes than the rest of the world combined.

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Alberta has the highest concentration of US Citizens living in Canada.

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33% of Calgarians are foreign-born.

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Calgary has the 2nd highest concentration of head offices across Canada. The first one is Toronto.

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Calgary has the highest GDP of any other city in Canada. (stats as of 2022)

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The majority of Canadian hockey players shoot left. Whereas the majority of US hockey players shoot right.

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Canada’s most played sport? GOLF! Followed by Hockey.

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Canada has the most left-handed golfers in the world (due to hockey).

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We call our Canadian Geese a different name - Cobra Chickens!

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Gravitational time dilation is a scientific theory that Gravity is produced due to time difference based on height.

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The Edmonton Oilers have won the Stanley Cup 5 times, last one being 1990.

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Heinz scientists have figured out that the optimal flow of ketchup is roughly 0.045 km per hour.

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Canada has a National Maple Syrup Reserve.

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Canada has a National Butter Reserve.

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Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web in 1990.

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A large part of northern Canada has lower gravity than the rest of the planet.

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There’s one bear for every two people in the Yukon.

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The first thanksgiving was celebrated in Newfoundland on May 27, 1578. The meal consisted of salted beef, biscuits, and peas.

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The coldest temperature ever recorded in North America was -63c in Snag, a small village in the Yukon.

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A Canadian robot named Dextre does repairs to the international space station.

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It’s legal to have a kangaroo as a pet in Alberta.

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Saskatchewan is the world’s largest exporter of mustard. The US eats most of it.

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At the end of WW2 Canada had the third largest navy in the world and 4th largest air force.

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Yonge Street is the longest street in the world and touches the Great Lakes and Cooks Bay.

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Mount Logan is the highest mountain in Canada.

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Sweden has the most islands in the world – over 220,000!

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The whopee cushion was invented in Canada.

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Little Lake Manitou, Saskatchewan is 5 times saltier than the ocean.

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The oldest known rock, discovered in Hudson Bay, is 4 billion years old.

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Canada has more doughnut shops per person than any other country.

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Alberta is the hail capital of the world.

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It would take 33 years to walk the coastline.

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Until 1995, it was illegal for margarine to be yellow.

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Quebec produces more than 70% of the world’s supply of maple syrup.

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Winnipeg consumes the most slurpees in the world.

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