Last week at our Bisnow Creative Office Summit in Toronto, panelists touched on new trends in office space—more open, collaborative, communal environments—all of which are driven by new technology. So a new Colliers study, which verifies that the “Silicon Valleys” of North America are slowly moving into downtown core of major cities in North America, comes as no surprise. It’s all about high-tech companies being able to compete for top talent, says Colliers associate, office and leasing, Devin Ringham. (It's why Google has so many perks in their office, they never want their talent to leave.)

“Technology companies in Vancouver are presently challenged by a relatively large pool of companies competing to attract and retain top talent,” he says. So there’s been a major push to locate in urban centres that offer proximity to amenities, transit, and supporting lifestyle. “These can often be perceived as the differentiator,” he says. “Our clients also suggest that these locational amenities often contribute to enhanced productivity.” In the image is Telus Garden, where Amazon will be based.