WiredScore Launches in Canada with Toronto Certifications

As Toronto continues to cement itself as a global tech hub, it’s only natural that the city needs a way to continually increase its appeal to both home-grown companies as well as outside organizations.

WiredScore has just launched in Canada and chosen Toronto as their first location to help make an impact on local businesses and their technological potential. WiredScore is the company behind the Wired Certification, a rating system for commercial real estate that helps tout a building’s digital connectivity capabilities.

The internet is such an integral part of nearly every single company, so a rating set that shows just how connected and quick a building can function is important, especially to those organizations that need more than just a slow but steady connection. Some companies can lose millions of dollars for every hour—or even minutes—they are not online, so WiredScore tried to be as transparent as possible when organizations are looking for a new location.

To prove the importance of connectivity, WiredScore put together a report on how important their services may be. It’s obvious that internet is valuable, but just how far it goes can sometimes be a bit unclear. The report found that 99 per cent of companies say access to reliable internet is critical. Over 40 per cent of Toronto’s respondents say they can’t even work without internet, and 21 per cent say clients cannot access their company’s services without internet. On top of this, over 90 per cent of Toronto workers say they struggle with connectivity issues at work.

A WiredScore chart showing connectivity issues in Toronto.
A WiredScore chart showing connectivity issues in Toronto.

WiredScore has nine launch partners who have committed to Wired Certification for Toronto office properties, including Cadillac Fairview, Hines and Menkes Developments. There are over four million tenants around the world that trust Wired Certification as the benchmark for internet needs.

“Toronto has one of the most dynamic commercial real estate industries in the world. We are proud to be part of its resurgence by bringing the importance of connectivity to the forefront of the city’s push to strengthen its global presence,” said WiredScore founder and CEO Arie Barendrecht.

A few buildings in Toronto were also announced as being Wired Certified. Scotia Plaza, TD Centre, 81 Bay Street at CIBC Square and One York are among some of the first structures in Canada to receive the designation.

Interestingly enough, a few of the sites that are now Wired Certified are also potential sites listed by Toronto for the new Amazon HQ2. CIBC Square was one of the four downtown core sites mentioned in the city’s bid and the new connectivity rating may just be one more way to bring the e-commerce giant to the country.