Slack Opening Office in Toronto to Tap City’s Diverse Talent Pool

Slack is opening an office in Toronto. Founded by Vancouverite Stewart Butterfield, the Silicon Valley startup’s Toronto office comes as a result of Slack’s continued growth and will help the company service clients “across the eastern seaboard.”

The news was announced at at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco.

The Toronto office will open with more than 100 employees as Slack aims to create nearly 150 local jobs out of the gate.

“Toronto is one of the most diverse and dynamic cities in North America and an ideal location for Slack’s global expansion,” said Ali Rayl, Director of Customer Experience at Slack. “We looked at a number of potential locations, but Toronto stood out for several reasons; it is home to a vibrant and diverse community of educated people, it has competitive business costs, and it’s a great place to live and work.”

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“Slack’s decision to invest in Toronto is a clear vote of confidence in Ontario’s skilled and diverse workforce,” said Brad Duguid, Ontario Minister of Economic Development and Growth. “I’m very pleased to welcome Slack to our province and excited by this high-profile addition to the growing cluster of tech companies located here.”

“Toronto is drawing the attention of the world for its emerging technology scene, vibrant culture and the way we live together as the most diverse city in North America,” said Toronto Mayor John Tory. “I’m thrilled that Slack will call Toronto home, create jobs for our talented residents and contribute to our reputation as a global centre for innovation and economic growth.”

“We are so pleased that Slack has chosen to expand to Toronto,” said Terrie O’Leary, Interim CEO of Invest Toronto. “Toronto’s biggest asset is its people. We are the most multicultural city in North America, with over fifty percent of our population having been born outside of the country and speaking nearly 140 languages.”

Slack is a team communication tool that provides real-time messaging, archiving and search capabilities. Launched in 2014, the platform has three million daily active users, including nearly one million paying users.

With 600 employees worldwide, Slack has raised more than half a billion dollars in funding. It’s currently valued at $3.8 billion.

The office will officially open in December at 171 John Street and they’re hiring now.

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