Saskatchewan’s technology sector is booming.
According to the province, Saskatchewan’s tech sector has seen significant growth with a 108.6-per cent increase in employment growth rate since 2019.
The numbers come from a report produced by Derek Murray Consulting and Associates.
The report shows Saskatchewan’s tech sector had the largest increase in employment growth out of all Prairie provinces, outpacing both Alberta and Manitoba over the same period at 21.3 per cent and 29.65 per cent, respectively.
According to the report, the tech sector accounted for 10 per cent of all job creation in the province from 2016 to 2023.
“Sectors that are growing rapidly are those related to our primary economic sectors. So, technology in mining, technology in energy and agriculture,” Aaron Genest, the SaskTech president said.
On average the tech sector added 715 new jobs per year since 2016, and is on track to exceed the target of adding 7,893 jobs by 2030.
“I’m really optimistic about what’s going to happen in the future,” minister of trade and export development Jeremy Harrison said. “Given the competitive advantages we have in spaces like ag tech, also in the work siemens is doing here.”
Harrison said the province has roughly 347 tech companies as of 2023.
“Part of the work the government has done and the tech sector itself has been to bring people to Saskatchewan,” Harrison explained. “A huge percentage of employees at every tech company come from other cities, other provinces and other countries.”
Solido Design Automation is a tech company in Saskatoon, focused on electronic design automation.
It began as a two-person startup in 2005, before being acquired by Siemens in 2017.
Since joining Siemens, the company has been rapidly growing — and estimates its market will expand to a one-trillion-dollar market by 2030.
“If you look inside of your smartphone or tablet or laptop and open it up, there’s maybe 10, 20, 30 electronic chips inside of them. Our software is used to make those electronic chips,” Siemens vice-president and general manager Amit Gupta said.
Harrison said it has been inspiring to watch companies like Siemens grow.
“Siemens is actually the 104th largest company in the world right now by market capitalization. So really interesting… Why are they here in Saskatoon?”