Waterloo Region tech sector eyeing Detroit as competitor for talent [Video]

It’s no secret, Kitchener-Waterloo is known for being a tech powerhouse.

Waterloo Region currently ranks as the #1 small tech talent market in North America for a fourth consecutive year, according to the CBRE 2024 Scoring Tech Report. Overall, the region was ranked #18.

But it seems one North American city is emerging as a competitor – Detroit.

It’s seeing a resurgence following a years-long workforce crisis.

“Local, state and federal officials recognized that and they responded with major resources and there was a sense of urgency. But a lot of money has been thrown at it,” explained Tony LaMantia, CEO of the Waterloo Region Economic Development Corporation.

In that same CBRE report, Detroit jumped from #27 to #22 overall this year, while Waterloo Region stayed the same.

Part of what’s leading this turnaround is a new world-class technology innovation hub at Michigan Central Station.

It’s home to more than 100 startups and is becoming, essentially, what Communitech is …