City of knowledge
Recognized as a true knowledge capital, the City of Montreal has accomplished what few other cities have: rally the scientific community around a common economic development project to create exceptional business districts such as the Health District and the International Eco-Innovation Zone. But who are the players that make up this community?
Educational institutions
- Montreal has more university students per capita than anywhere else on the continent (every year, 3,000 university ICT degrees are awarded, including more 800 advanced degrees.)
- 11 universities (4 of which are world-class) as well as many colleges and specialized schools offering high level training in cutting-edge technologies.
- Montreal ranks 1st in university research investments.
Scientific groups
- Montreal has more research centres than any other city in Canada in the following sectors:Life sciences, Aerospace, Cleantech and Information and Communication Technology.
Companies
- Montreal is home to over 60,000 companies specialized in various sectors and generates some $30 billion CAD in annual exports.
- Greater Montreal’s GNP is $130 billion and, if the trend continues, that figure will reach $140 billion in 2012.
Government agencies
- Montreal ranks 1st among North America’s top 20 R&D cities.
Montreal is also the Canadian city that ranks first for:
- The number of patents filed
- The percentage of bilingual and trilingual people
- Risk capital investments
- Cost of living (salary vs. housing and other living expenses)
Thanks to its strategic geographic location between Europe and the U.S., the City of Montreal is ideally positioned to disseminate and share knowledge, a factor which adds considerable value to the work of its research centres.
Montreal’s international notoriety can also be attributed to its cultural effervescence. The city boasts a cosmopolitan population, jazz and comedy festivals, a rich historic heritage and a trendy arts scene.
Montreal is more than a city…
