U.S.-based university opens first campus in Canada to fill IT demand
· Toronto Sun
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There is an employment gap in Southern Ontario’s tech sector, and one city in the Greater Toronto Area is attempting to remedy the situation.
Markham recently became the launch point for an American-based university’s entry into the Canadian market with the opening of Westcliff University Canada’s Toronto campus.
“Our local business leaders have been clear about what they need: Graduates with specialized, immediately applicable skills in the fields driving our region’s growth,” Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti said. “Westcliff’s Master of Information Systems Technology program was built around those exact requirements, and having that pipeline right here in Markham means our employers can access the talent they’ve been asking for.”
The Westcliff campus is located inside the ventureLAB space on Steeles Avenue, just west of the Don Valley Parkway. On its website, the ventureLab says it has “supported 4,000 tech ventures on their journey from prototype to global market.” The facility offers 50,000 square feet of “innovation” space and $12 million worth of labs.
“This partnership creates a direct bridge between specialized talent and high-growth companies, driving the innovations that power Canada’s knowledge-based economy,” ventureLAB CEO Hugh Chow said.
“We built this program in direct collaboration with the local region’s tech leaders because workforce-ready education must be designed with employers and around the realities of working professionals,” Westcliff president and CEO Dr. Anthony Lee added. “Toronto’s continued growth depends on a continuous supply of highly skilled talent, and Westcliff is committed to helping deliver it.”
A noticeable shortage
According to Robert Half’s research, 88% of Canadian technology leaders say they face challenges finding the supply of talent Lee referenced.
Robert Half Inc. is a global talent solutions, recruitment, and business consulting firm that matches highly skilled professionals with companies seeking contract, temporary, or permanent hires. The company also provides expertise in the tech sector.
The Conference Board of Canada projects that between 2023-2028, the economy will require an additional 305,000 tech workers. Canadian colleges and universities graduate approximately 25,000 to 30,000 tech students annually, nowhere near the more than 60,000 needed each year to meet demand.
“Toronto’s employers need graduates who are ready to contribute on day one in AI, cybersecurity and smart manufacturing — and that is exactly who our MIST program produces,” Lee said.
Filling in the gaps
Westcliff is opening its satellite branch to help fill the gap between talent and opportunity.
“Westcliff has the expertise in-house and knows how to form the right partnerships with industry, which a lot of traditional institutions have a hard time doing, “said Jonathan Samson, national vice president of government relations for Enterprise Canada.
Located in Irvine, Calif., and founded in 1993, Westcliff University’s primary goal is to support the integration of classroom instruction into the real world of business, STEM, and education.
The for-profit institution offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees, as well as certificate programs and continuing education courses. In 2025, enrolment was listed at 9,079 students representing more than 110 countries worldwide.
The California-based private university cut the proverbial ribbon during its grand opening on April 29 at ventureLab in the city’s south end.