• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechInternet of Things

Here’s Where Microsoft Is Opening a New Lab for Some of Its Biggest Projects

By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 17, 2016, 4:11 PM ET
Microsoft opens state of the art technology centre in Vancouver
Preet Mangat, Senior Program Manager Microsoft Canada, demonstrates City Hacks with Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, the Hon. Christy Clark, the Premier of British Columbia and Mayor Gregor Robertson, for the City of Vancouver at the Microsoft Canada Excellence Centre. (CNW Group/Microsoft Canada Inc.)Courtesy of Microsoft Canada Inc.

Microsoft is expanding its reach in Canada.

The technology giant said on Friday that it opened a new engineering center in Vancouver, British Columbia. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended the opening of the new facility, dubbed the Microsoft Canada Excellence Centre (MCEC).

The new engineering outpost is expected to eventually employ over 750 people, according to Microsoft. Microsoft (MSFT) wants to hire coders who will work on several of its big technology projects, including the Skype Internet calling service, the HoloLens augmented reality headset, and apps for both the Xbox gaming console and Windows 10 operating system.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

“There is no better time to invest in Canada,” Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement. “I welcome Microsoft’s decision to add as many as 450 new development jobs to their Vancouver operations—it is a real vote of confidence in the community, and in the talent and expertise of Canadian workers.”

Proud to see Microsoft investing in Canadian talent & innovation – creating 350 development jobs here in Vancouver. pic.twitter.com/Jxbk7MczGR

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 17, 2016

Microsoft touted that because the office is relatively close to its Redmond, Wash. headquarters, staff members from both locations would collaborate on big projects, as in the case of a research project called Seeing AI. Microsoft workers from both Redmond and Vancouver jointly developed an artificial intelligence-powered app that describes real-world surroundings and helps read text out loud for the visually impaired.

The new Vancouver office caps off a busy week for Microsoft.

Microsoft said on Monday it would spend $26.2 billion to purchase the business social networking company LinkedIn (LNKD), which Salesforce (CRM) was also interested in buying.

On Thursday, Microsoft announced it would buy a hot messaging startup called Wand Labs, whose team of natural language processing experts could help improve Microsoft’s Cortana digital assistant and related chat bots.

For more about Microsoft, watch:

Microsoft also partnered this week with a cannabis technology company called Kind Financial, which will use Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing service to help regulators and government agencies collect data relating to various U.S. laws on marijuana production.

About the Author
By Jonathan Vanian
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jonathan Vanian is a former Fortune reporter. He covered business technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and other topics.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

Latest in Tech

corner office
Future of WorkJobs
AI layoffs are looking more and more like corporate fiction that’s masking a darker reality, Oxford Economics suggests
By Nick LichtenbergJanuary 7, 2026
15 hours ago
Larry Page looks up and to the right.
InvestingBillionaires
Jensen Huang might be fine with a billionaires tax, but Google cofounder Larry Page is already dumping California
By Sasha RogelbergJanuary 7, 2026
17 hours ago
Photo of Sam Altman
AIHealth
OpenAI launches ChatGPT Health in a push to become a hub for personal health data
By Sharon GoldmanJanuary 7, 2026
18 hours ago
Future of WorkTech
The typical American plan to study for 22 years and work for 40 ‘is broken,’ VC CEO says. Thanks to AI, employees can’t coast after graduation anymore
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJanuary 7, 2026
18 hours ago
Woman interviews with hiring manager.
Future of WorkJobs
‘It feels challenging to break through’: Most recruiters say they can’t find talent while 80% of job seekers feel unprepared to find a job
By Jacqueline MunisJanuary 7, 2026
19 hours ago
NewslettersCIO Intelligence
Nestlé’s CIO says the value of the food giant’s AI investments goes well beyond efficiency
By John KellJanuary 7, 2026
19 hours ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Law
Amazon is cutting checks to millions of customers as part of a $2.5 billion FTC settlement. Here's who qualifies and how to get paid
By Sydney LakeJanuary 6, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Mark Cuban on the $38 trillion national debt and the absurdity of U.S. healthcare: we wouldn't pay for potato chips like this
By Nick LichtenbergJanuary 6, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Future of Work
'Employers are increasingly turning to degree and GPA' in hiring: Recruiters retreat from ‘talent is everywhere,’ double down on top colleges
By Jake AngeloJanuary 6, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Personal Finance
Janet Yellen warns the $38 trillion national debt is testing a red line economists have feared for decades
By Eva RoytburgJanuary 5, 2026
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, January 6, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJanuary 6, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
MacKenzie Scott sends millions to nonprofit that supports anti-Israel and pro-Muslim groups, two of which are facing federal probes
By Sydney LakeJanuary 6, 2026
2 days ago

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.