Can AI Spark Commercial Real Estate Growth in Vancouver? According to CBRE’s newly released 2026 Tech Gateway Office Markets report, the answer is yes!

The CBRE report focuses on “12 markets across the US, three in Canada (Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver) and two in Europe (London and Paris), selected for their prominence as tech-innovation hubs. These markets range from epicenters of tech growth to major hubs of tech talent.”

While the tech sector has seen recent workforce changes, artificial intelligence is emerging as a massive driver for office space demand across key tech hubs.

Key Takeaways from the Report:

• Tech industry office leasing activity grew in 12 of 17 major markets analyzed across the US, Canada, and Europe in 2025 compared to 2023.
• In Canada, tech leasing accounted for 14.7% of total office leasing in 2025. That momentum skyrocketed in Q1 2026, where tech’s share jumped to 32.2% (representing 1.4 million sq. ft.).
• Top Performers: Manhattan, Toronto, and Boston saw the largest percentage gains in tech leasing, while Vancouver recorded positive net absorption and annual rent growth despite shifting vacancy rates.
• Venture capital funding hit record highs in 2025 across North America and Europe, with AI capturing an increasingly dominant slice of that pie.

AI is expected to create entirely new business ecosystems. CBRE notes that AI innovation will likely create more jobs than it replaces over the next decade—reshaping commercial real estate fundamentals in gateway cities. A complementary analysis by CBRE Investment Management highlights that while Gen AI is shifting roles away from routine tasks, it is ultimately expected to be a net job creator. The report notes a critical shift in office fundamentals: because AI cannot replicate high-value collaboration, creative problem-solving, and mentoring, it is actually amplifying corporate demand for high-quality, adaptable office environments designed specifically for in-person interaction.

Interested in the hard facts on what type of real estate space the tech industry favors?  Let’s have a chat we are real estate specialists focused on land redevelopment and commercial acquisitions and dispositions!