Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to have the opportunity today to celebrate the growth and contributions of the many businesses in my riding, particularly of the Kanata North technology park, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Kanata North technology park is home to over 540 companies and contributes over $13 billion to Canada's GDP annually. The innovation, technology and hardware from these companies have been the backbone of our country's telecommunication systems.
Two weeks ago, the Kanata North Business Association opened its doors to a new community space called Hub350. With incredible partners such as Carleton University and the University of Ottawa, as well as those in industry, such as Telus, BlackBerry QNX and Wesley Clover, the future is bright.
I want to thank the Kanata North Business Association for its leadership and its commitment to bringing industry and academia together, and for launching Hub350 and the 5G innovation zone.