RBC is expanding its Vancouver banking and innovation hub, with plans to grow the operation to 1,000 jobs across British Columbia by 2029.
The downtown Vancouver hub, which opened last November, currently has 350 employees. RBC plans to grow that number to 600 employees by the end of this year, with 440 net new roles expected as part of the bank’s longer-term provincial expansion.
The hub is focused on high-demand technology fields and commercial banking, expanding RBC’s existing Vancouver Borealis AI hub and integrating AI capabilities across cloud, cyber, digital and analytics.
“Vancouver’s rich talent base, west coast location, world-class academic institutions and the province’s commitment to growing its emerging tech sector makes it the perfect choice for our innovation hub,” said Naim Kazmi, Group Head, Technology and Operations at RBC. “By bringing new tech jobs in high demand areas, we hope to play a strategic role in helping the city continue to build its thriving tech ecosystem.”
The expanded hub includes specialized technology roles in artificial intelligence and machine learning, cybersecurity and data science, along with targeted tech support for functional teams. It also includes growth in RBC’s Vancouver Borealis team, which the bank says is recognized for scientific excellence in AI and uses cutting-edge science to build machine learning products.
RBC recently announced a goal of achieving $700 million to $1 billion in enterprise value generated from AI-driven benefits by 2027. The bank said its AI use cases are being designed responsibly to meet regulatory requirements and keep employee and client data safe.
“AI is a generational change and due to our early investments in the space, RBC is well positioned to take advantage of its potential,” said Bruce Ross, Group Head, AI at RBC. “Our Vancouver teams will play a big role in helping us prioritize and accelerate our strategic AI ambitions at scale and turn that potential into real value for our clients.”
RBC was ranked first in Canada and third among 50 global banks for AI maturity in the 2025 Evident AI Index.
The Vancouver location is the latest addition to RBC’s global network of technology hubs and innovation labs, joining locations including Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, Halifax, Minneapolis, New York and London.
“RBC is building a more globally connected bank, and expanding our presence in British Columbia represents a tremendous opportunity for strategic growth and innovation,” said Martin Thibodeau, RBC Regional President, British Columbia.
Thibodeau said the hub will help connect Canadian business to international markets and opportunities, including in the Indo-Pacific region, while supporting global clients looking to invest and grow in Canada.