How tech is powering growth in Southwestern Ontario

Southwestern Ontario is growing while reinventing itself. From e-commerce to iGaming, tech-first industries are changing the game

SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO IS no longer just the country’s manufacturing backbone. It’s becoming one of Canada’s most dynamic digital frontiers. Cities like London, Kitchener, and Windsor are not clinging to old playbooks. They’re rewriting them. With the rise of e-commerce, fintech, and iGaming, the region is building an economy designed for speed, scale, and sustainability.

This isn’t just about tech jobs or trendy startups. It’s about a full-on shift in how the region works, spends, and plays.

E-commerce Becomes the Default

There’s no going back. Online shopping is now the preferred way for Canadians to shop, and Southwestern Ontario is riding the wave. According to ECDB, Canada’s e-commerce market ranks 11th globally, with a projected revenue of US$69.1 billion for the 2025 tax year. By 2029, that figure is expected to climb to US$88.4 billion. That momentum clearly shows the ongoing transformation.

In London and Waterloo, warehouses are being converted into fulfillment hubs, and small brands are scaling rapidly thanks to e-commerce platforms like Shopify and Etsy. People are buying more online and building businesses online. And those businesses are hiring, shipping, and growing right here.

Local retailers that once relied on foot traffic are now tapping into logistics networks and same-day delivery apps. It’s not flashy, but it’s working and creating jobs far beyond the storefront.

Fintech Is Turning Code into Capital

Money moves faster now, and so does innovation. Ontario—especially its southwest—has become a breeding ground for fintech talent. Digital wallets, AI-based investing tools, payment processors, and crypto startups are all part of the mix.

The numbers back it up: in 2024, fintech investment in Canada rose 8% to hit $2.2 billion, even in a tight capital market. According to the Ivey Business School, nearly 70% of Canada’s top fintech firms are based in Ontario, with Waterloo as one of the key nerve centers.

You’ve got young engineers, former bankers, and tech veterans building platforms that reach far beyond the province. And that’s no accident. The University of Waterloo continues to produce some of the most in-demand talent in the country, and the region keeps finding ways to hold onto them.

Startups here are launching products used across North America. The playbook is simple: build lean, move fast, and solve problems that banks are too slow to fix.

iGaming

Let’s talk about one of the most rapidly growing sectors, online gambling. In 2022, Ontario became the first province in Canada to regulate iGaming. Skeptics thought it would be chaos. Instead, it’s become a model for the rest of the country.

Fast-forward to 2025: The sector brought in over $3.2 billion in gross gaming revenue, up 32% from last year. The top platforms are all in, and so are the players. Ontario now hosts 49 licensed operators across 84 legal gaming sites.

This isn’t Vegas glitz. It’s digital infrastructure. It’s licensing deals, cybersecurity jobs, payments integration, responsible gambling protocols, and yes, healthy tax revenue. Ontario is the beneficiary.

• Kitchener-Waterloo has become a base for gaming software developers and analytics teams.
• Windsor, long a casino town, is adapting to the digital age with hybrid offerings and online casino Ontario platforms that go hand-in-hand with physical venues.

This sector isn’t niche anymore. It’s embedded in the digital economy. And the government has figured out how to keep it safe, legal, and lucrative.

Beyond the Hype

This growth isn’t just coming from VC-backed startups or multinationals opening Canadian branches. It’s built on the backs of a skilled, adaptable workforce. London, for example, has seen an 88.5% jump in tech employment in five years, landing it in the top 5 emerging tech talent markets in North America, according to CBRE.

These aren’t just coders. They’re digital marketers, logistics managers, customer success leads, and business analysts. Jobs that didn’t exist a decade ago are now cornerstones of the regional economy.

And institutions are catching up. Colleges and universities are tweaking their programs. Instead of the classic master route, boot camps are everywhere, training career switchers. It’s fast and messy, but it’s happening.

Real Money, Real Impact

This isn’t about chasing Silicon Valley status. It’s about building an economy that works. eCommerce brings convenience and export power. Fintech makes money smarter. iGaming brings in tax dollars and tech infrastructure. Together, they’re reshaping Southwestern Ontario into a place where ideas start and then scale.

The big win? It’s not just Toronto or Vancouver driving Canada’s innovation story. It’s regional cities. The ones that stayed scrappy, built quietly, and kept people working through disruption.

This Isn’t a Trend. It’s the New Economy.

Southwestern Ontario is proving that growth today doesn’t look like it used to. It’s not about smokestacks or skyscrapers. It’s about servers, code, and customer bases that span the globe.

The region is betting on tech, and so far, that bet is paying off.

Whether you’re a policymaker, investor, or entrepreneur, here’s the bottom line: keep your eye on Southwestern Ontario. This is where the next big economy is being built.