With big city amenities and small city costs, Charlottetown is the ideal place to start or grow your business. The capital and largest city of the Province of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown is home to several global companies in the knowledge-based economy.

Charlottetown is the beating heart of Prince Edward Island. With a rich history and bright future, the Charlottetown region had the third-highest growth of major Canadian cities and continues to encourage unparalleled growth in population and key sectors, including bioscience, ICT, and financial services.

The Charlottetown advantage is our low-cost environment, dedicated and skilled labour force, exceptional technology infrastructure for business, and an unparalleled quality of life that has us ranked as one of Canada’s Best Affordable Places to Live in 2024.

Community Profile

A Stunning and Strategic Location
 

Located within the Maritime provinces on the eastern coast of Canada, Charlottetown is a historic waterfront city home to 40,000 people. It is the largest city and provincial Capital of Prince Edward Island. The Greater Capital Area has a population of approximately 80,000 and makes up over half of the Island’s total population.

Charlottetown's location in the Northumberland Strait lets you stay ahead of the curve. This strategic location provides easy access for shipping by land, air, and sea to North American and European markets. Situated four time zones from London, England and four from the west coast of North America, Charlottetown sits in a favourable area for after-hours servicing.

 

 

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The Charlottetown Advantage is...

An Educated and Dedicated Workforce

Charlottetown has an established reputation for a highly skilled and loyal workforce. The average job tenure on Prince Edward Island is 8.5 years, while 72.5% of Charlottetown residents have postsecondary certificates, diplomas, or degrees, and 39.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher.

A Collaborative Talent Pipeline

Two educational institutions in Charlottetown, the University of Prince Edward Island and Holland College, support the entry of skilled workers and work closely with our private sector to develop tailor-made programs that fuel our local economy. Charlottetown's talent pool is diverse, available, and highly competitive in terms of labour costs.

A Low Cost of Business

International consulting firm KPMG has consistently ranked Charlottetown as one of North America's lowest-cost business centres, topping the list for labour costs in mid-size cities. Charlottetown has proven cost advantages in biotechnology, financial services, IT, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing.

The City of Charlottetown is business-friendly and has a suite of tax incentives designed to assist and encourage development in key knowledge-economy sectors, downtown commercial growth, and the re-development of non-conforming properties. For more information on our tax incentives, click here.

An Elevated Quality of Life

High quality of life means strong employee retention. Charlottetown is safe and clean, and there is always something to do – not just in the summer! With hundreds of world-class events, festivals, and sport activities, including one of the top Christmas markets in the world, Charlottetown punches well above its weight in terms of entertainment and attractions. Home to the Culinary Institute of Canada, Charlottetown has also established a reputation for exceptional culinary experiences that are as diverse as they are delicious.

 

In Charlottetown, you're close to everything: nature, some of the most beautiful beaches in Canada, and even your place of work. With an average commute time of 13 minutes, work-life balance is well within reach.

Check out the Quality of Life tool below to learn more about what makes Charlottetown so special.

Proximity, Access, Collaboration

In Charlottetown, you are in close proximity to all levels of government and industry experts, encouraging a supportive and dynamic environment for growth. Unlike major cities, companies in Charlottetown can access decision-makers in person. Few places offer such an easy way to get all levels of government, funding agencies, and mentoring groups in the room together. Charlottetown is an opportunity to be a big fish in a small pond and make the most out of a genuinely collaborative environment.

For more information, visit our Resources and Business Support page.

Connect With Us

You know where Charlottetown is, and you know why Charlottetown is a great place to invest. The only question left is: when?

Your future is bright in Charlottetown, and it starts now. Contact us; we are very interested in discussing your future in Charlottetown.