Official Google Canada Blog

Google’s ongoing commitment to Québec

Monday, May 10, 2021

To read this blog post in French, please click here.

Today we are announcing our intention to acquire property in Beauharnois, Québec. Upon completion of various conditions and receipt of government approvals, Google will be able to use the property for a future data center facility.

This will be an important addition to our long-standing presence in Québec. We planted roots in the province in 2004, with our first downtown Montréal office and only three employees. Nearly two decades later, our new Viger office space will have capacity to welcome up to 1000 employees when construction is complete. We look forward to welcoming back our Montréal-based software developers, world class cybersecurity team, sales, Chrome and Cloud experts, as well as our AI researchers.

Our support of digital innovation in Québec doesn’t stop at our own offices. Google Canada has been a long-time partner in the world-leading artificial intelligence ecosystem in Montréal. Just last fall, we renewed our relationship with Mila - the research institute with the largest concentration of deep learning academic researchers in the world. In addition to collaborating on research projects, Google has donated 3 million USD over three years, to fuel the important work Mila does, for the benefit of all Canadians.

By 2030, we aim to run our entire business on clean electricity every hour of every day. As one of the world’s largest producers of hydropower, Québec is an important region for helping us achieve this ambitious sustainability goal.

“I am very proud to announce today a future major project for the region. Here, in Beauharnois, once the proposed project commences, it is estimated to generate well-paid jobs, both during construction and in the operation of the future data center. The growth of a company the scale of Google in Québec confirms our status as one of the world’s most dynamic and greenest technology hubs,” said Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy and Innovation.

Based on industry standards for data center builds and our own experience, once construction begins on a data center, that construction phase at its peak can provide work for 300-500 people and ultimately an operational data center can employ dozens of people, at least 20-30 in skilled roles. And upon completion of all necessary conditions and receipt of government approvals for this specific site, and in line with similar investments we have made elsewhere in North America, we anticipate our initial investment for the new data center would be around $735 million CAD ($600 million USD).

Every day, demand for Google services is increasing and our physical infrastructure follows the same rhythm. Once acquired, this site in Beauharnois will ensure we have options to expand our data center infrastructure into Canada, when our business requires it.

Celebrating Canadian Googlers: Meet Matt Teskey

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Editor's Note: To celebrate Google Canada’s 20th Anniversary, we're profiling some of the powerful, dynamic and creative Canadians at Google.

When the COVID-19 pandemic increased, Matt Teskey not only jumped at the opportunity to serve his community through Google, but also alongside his family. As a Program Manager for Firebase, Matt describes his role as bringing order from chaos and so it’s not surprising that during a time of uncertainty, Matt saw an opportunity to help others.

What started as a fun activity for Matt to do with his wife and kids, quickly evolved to a local virtual scavenger hunt enjoyed by many across the Waterloo region. Leveraging Google Forms, Matt’s creativity saw no bounds, and the response from local educators, friends and community members has been overwhelming, with several inspired to create their own versions!

Matt has also spearheaded an initiative to match Canadian nonprofits with Google volunteers to provide support for the collaboration and video conferencing tools in Google Workspace for Nonprofits. This program has evolved over the past 12 months and, merged with other related initiatives, has helped hundreds of Canadian nonprofits, and is always looking for additional nonprofits to support.

We recently sat down with Matt to learn more about the creative way he’s keeping his family and community connected.

How would you describe your job at a dinner party to people who don't work in tech?
I work on Firebase, Google’s mobile platform for app developers, and my role as a program manager is to enable our teams to be successful as we build, release and support our software. I bring order from chaos and spend a lot of time getting people and tools organized and effective.

What advice do you have for somebody looking to pursue a career in tech?
I would say to get involved, explore different areas as much as you can. There are so many tools at your disposal, whether it’s social media and graphic design classes or coding. There is an opportunity to get really creative with a combination of school, volunteering and free online learning. Through volunteering, I learned a lot about organization and tools, which helped my entry into the tech space.

I also think relationships are key. Get outside of your comfort zone, meet new people, foster and nurture new relationships. This can feel intimidating, but it can be as simple as getting involved in your community, joining different groups, connecting with like-minded people.

In addition to your role, you also have been very involved in giving back. Can you tell us a bit about your work with Google’s 20 percent project time?
One of the amazing things at Google is that employees are encouraged to get involved in projects and initiatives outside of their day-to-day roles. Personally, I’m always looking for ways to work with Googlers outside of my teams — I’ve helped run office-wide innovation programs in the past, and in 2020 I initiated a program to give 1:1 support to Canadian nonprofits via our Google for Nonprofits offerings.

Through this 20 percent project, it’s been a great way to serve the community, and the need for additional help and resources has been more important than ever. Initially, we thought our focus would be on helping with Google Ads Grants and putting together classes to promote and educate nonprofits on these offerings with Google. Once COVID hit, we started to see a lot of people and organizations struggling with how to adapt to online tools and video calls and saw an opportunity to pivot our outreach to focus on Google Workspace and how to use the free tools like Docs and Meet. The need to support nonprofits has grown tremendously. We've been able to work with Googlers across our Candian offices to extend our reach further and directly support nonprofits across the country and are always looking for more.

When you work at Google, it’s pretty easy to be inspired by the nonprofit work put in place by past Googlers, and it makes you want to build on top of that. I don’t know another company that gives its employees that opportunity to make such an impact.

How was the transition to working from home?
Well, at the start of COVID, everyone was locked down and struggling with work from home setups and how to stay connected. Working at Google, I had a really easy transition into work from home thanks to a good desk and technical setup and lots of experience working with teammates across North America through video conferencing and collaborative docs. My wife is a teacher, and my kids were schooling from home, so we were all here and just sort of figuring it out. I think we jumped right into a mindset of ‘this will be going on for a long time, so we better figure out how to stay connected and stay entertained.’

While working from home, I set up Google Meet video calls with my friends and family and do virtual game nights and virtual escape rooms. As I searched for fun activities online, I clicked into a Harry Potter-themed escape room and realized it was built using Google Forms. I connected with the author of the escape room, who shared an instruction video with me. My family and I decided to make one together. We started by designing some clues, then we went around our community and took pictures. We basically built a scavenger hunt in Google Forms in a day or two.

Did you know the scavenger hunt would gain so much traction?
It really started out as a fun activity my family could do together! When we first decided to make this, we knew people were adjusting to life at home, and many people were looking for creative, fun and free things to do with their kids. I was inspired by a virtual escape room and thought this is interesting and something that could be adapted for a scavenger hunt. My wife is an elementary school teacher, I’m a recent Cub Scout leader, and so we thought this would be a great resource to leverage and also share with our kids’ classmates. I’m happy to see so many other people using it and having fun while doing it!

What has the response been from the community?
It's been really great! A few of my teacher friends were inspired to build their own — one in particular is a geography teacher, so I helped him curate one for his class. He changed the pictures, the clues, and suddenly it turned into a cross Canada adventure for their geography class!

I check online every once and a while, and we've heard from a few hundred families. The comments are always very positive, with people expressing gratitude for the half an hour or hour of escape that the game offered. Others leave comments requesting that we make another one with a specific theme in mind or for a different city.

Now that we’re back in lockdown, do you have any plans to make another one?
Yeah, I’ve definitely thought about it. We thought about it being more tied in with my wife and son’s school, or maybe something with the surrounding towns. The kids also want to do something with theme parks or virtual travel destinations. We’ll probably build another one at some point, but it’s also really cool to see other people be inspired by our idea and develop their own.

Applications are now open for the first Google Cloud Accelerator Canada

Friday, April 30, 2021

Applications are now open for Canada’s first accelerator, entirely dedicated to cloud-native technology startups. We’re inviting up to twelve Canadian startups to participate in an intensive 10-week virtual bootcamp to prepare them for their next phase of growth.

The past year has shown us the critical role cloud technologies play, for businesses, governments, nonprofits and consumers. Throughout the pandemic, cloud technologies helped organizations across the globe navigate uncertainty -- from healthcare systems shifting care models, government agencies looking to serve communities and ward off economic hardships, consumer goods and media companies adapting to dramatic shifts in consumer behaviour, and others supporting remote workforces while maintaining business continuity and uptime of their mission-critical systems.

Think about grocery click and collect. In the early days of the pandemic, getting a grocery click and collect slot was similar to trying to purchase seats for a Toronto Raptors playoff game, or snag tickets to a Hamilton performance on Broadway. As online traffic for grocery skyrocketed, grocery stores across the country needed a way to meet the demand. Our own Google Cloud team quickly worked with Loblaws to create a dedicated task force with its digital technology team to pack and fulfill orders faster so they could meet the growing demand.

Today, we’re excited to announce that applications are open for the first-ever Google Cloud Accelerator Canada. This 10-week virtual accelerator program is designed to bring the best of Google's programs, products, people and technology to startups doing interesting work in the cloud. In addition to cloud mentorship and technical project support, the accelerator also includes deep dives and workshops focused on product design, customer acquisition and leadership development for startup founders and leaders.

The accelerator program is best suited for funded, revenue generating startups who have a minimum of five employees and are well-positioned for their next phase of growth. In order to ensure Google can provide meaningful value, startups should aim to leverage either Cloud or AI/ML technologies in their product, service, or operations or show an interest in leveraging these technologies in the future. The inaugural Google Cloud Accelerator Canada cohort will kick off in July 2021 and run for 10 weeks. The first cohort will consist of 8-12 innovative cloud-native technology startups in Canada.

If your startup is leveraging the cloud to drive growth and innovation, make sure you apply for Canada’s first Google Cloud Accelerator by May 28, 2021 - we’re excited to hear from you.

Posted by Ashley Francisco Head of Startup Developer Ecosystem, Google Canada

Time flies in Google Earth’s biggest update in years

Thursday, April 15, 2021

For the past 15 years, billions of people have turned to Google Earth to explore our planet from endless vantage points. You might have peeked at Mount Everest or flown through your hometown. Since launching Google Earth, we've focused on creating a 3D replica of the world that reflects our planet in magnificent detail with features that both entertain and empower everyone to create positive change.

In the biggest update to Google Earth since 2017, you can now see our planet in an entirely new dimension — time. With Timelapse in Google Earth, 24 million satellite photos from the past 37 years have been compiled into an interactive 4D experience. Now anyone can watch time unfold and witness nearly four decades of planetary change.

Our planet has seen rapid environmental change in the past half-century — more than any other point in human history. Many of us have experienced these changes in our own communities; I myself was among the thousands of Californians evacuated from their homes during the state’s wildfires last year. For other people, the effects of climate change feel abstract and far away, like melting ice caps and receding glaciers. With Timelapse in Google Earth, we have a clearer picture of our changing planet right at our fingertips — one that shows not just problems but also solutions, as well as mesmerizingly beautiful natural phenomena that unfold over decades.

To explore Timelapse in Google Earth, go to g.co/Timelapse — you can use the handy search bar to choose any place on the planet where you want to see time in motion.

Or open Google Earth and click on the ship’s wheel to find Timelapse in our storytelling platform, Voyager, to see interactive guided tours. We’ve also uploaded more than 800 Timelapse videos in both 2D and 3D for public use at g.co/TimelapseVideos. You can select any video you want as a ready-to-use MP4 video or sit back and watch the videos on YouTube. From governments and researchers to publishers, teachers and advocates, we’re excited to see how people will use Timelapse in Google Earth to shine a light on our planet.

See the difference the Suruí people have made through their protection of the Amazon rainforest they call home in Rondônia, Brazil.

Watch agriculture take shape in the middle of a desert in Al Jowf, Saudi Arabia.

Follow the expansion of Las Vegas, Nevada.

See what’s changed in Kuwait City, Kuwait.

Understand the causes of Earth’s change We worked with experts at Carnegie Mellon University's CREATE Lab to create the technology behind Timelapse, and we worked with them again to make sense of what we were seeing.

As we looked at what was happening, five themes emerged: forest change, urban growth, warming temperatures, sources of energy, and our world’s fragile beauty. Google Earth takes you on a guided tour of each topic to better understand them.

Timelapse in Google Earth shows the rapid change on our planet in context through five thematic stories, for example the retreat of the Columbia Glacier in Alaska.

Putting time on Earth in the palm of our hand Making a planet-sized timelapse video required a significant amount of what we call “pixel crunching” in Earth Engine, Google's cloud platform for geospatial analysis. To add animated Timelapse imagery to Google Earth, we gathered more than 24 million satellite images from 1984 to 2020, representing quadrillions of pixels. It took more than two million processing hours across thousands of machines in Google Cloud to compile 20 petabytes of satellite imagery into a single 4.4 terapixel-sized video mosaic — that’s the equivalent of 530,000 videos in 4K resolution! And all this computing was done inside our carbon-neutral, 100% renewable energy-matched data centers, which are part of our commitments to help build a carbon-free future.

As far as we know, Timelapse in Google Earth is the largest video on the planet, of our planet. And creating it required out-of-this-world collaboration. This work was possible because of the U.S. government and European Union’s commitments to open and accessible data. Not to mention their herculean efforts to launch rockets, rovers, satellites and astronauts into space in the spirit of knowledge and exploration. Timelapse in Google Earth simply wouldn’t have been possible without NASA and the United States Geological Survey’s Landsat program, the world’s first (and longest-running) civilian Earth observation program, and the European Union’s Copernicus program with its Sentinel satellites.

An inside look at Google Earth. With mountains, valleys, buildings and more, Timelapse videos are draped over our planet using advanced 3D graphics rendering techniques. At any given moment, the correct videos for your location, view angle and zoom-level are seamlessly stitched together on the fly to compose Timelapse in Google Earth, updated as you pan, zoom and explore.

24 million satellite images from 1984 to 2020 were analyzed, and we identified and removed artifacts in the imagery, like clouds. We then computed a single representative pixel for every location on the planet, and for every year from 1984-2020 to produce our global, cloud-free Timelapse experience.

Timelapse also reveals beautiful natural geologic processes, such as the beach sands of Cape Cod slowly shifting south. This footprint of time is captured in our featured locations collection, “Mesmerizing Changes.”

What will you do with Timelapse? We invite anyone to take Timelapse into their own hands and share it with others — whether you’re marveling at changing coastlines, following the growth of megacities, or tracking deforestation. Timelapse in Google Earth is about zooming out to assess the health and well-being of our only home, and is a tool that can educate and inspire action.

Visual evidence can cut to the core of the debate in a way that words cannot and communicate complex issues to everyone. Take for example the work of Liza Goldberg who plans to use Timelapse imagery to teach climate change. Or the 2020 award-winning documentary “Nature Now” that uses satellite imagery to show humanity’s growing footprint on the planet.

Timelapse for the next decade to come In collaboration with our partners, we’ll update Google Earth annually with new Timelapse imagery throughout the next decade. We hope that this perspective of the planet will ground debates, encourage discovery and shift perspectives about some of our most pressing global issues.
Posted by Rebecca Moore, Director, Google Earth, Earth Engine & Outreach

Celebrating Canadian Googlers: Meet Natasha Walji

Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Editor's Note: To celebrate Google Canada’s 20th Anniversary, we're profiling some of the powerful, dynamic and creative Canadians at Google.

How would you describe your job at a dinner party to people who don't work in tech? Was there something or someone specific that pushed you toward your career in tech? He sounds like an amazing mentor! What was your experience like when you studied computer science, were there a lot of women exploring it? One of the amazing things about Google, is that we’re encouraged to go beyond our role with 20 percent projects. Can you tell us about what this looks like for you? Absolutely! Giving back is something that I’m very passionate about. I’ve been serving the community for over 20 years. It’s always been a big part of my life, which was in large part because of my family history of service and because of the mentor that I had in high school. After I got better at math, he shared something very profound with me one day, he said: ‘I want you to think about how you are going to use your education and knowledge to serve others.’ This really resonated and gave me a strong sense of purpose and inspiration from a young age. So when I joined Google, I knew I had found my soulmate company because Google has an incredible impact on serving the world through accessible information; it also continues to inspire me 10+ years later because I lead impactful work fueling our economy and also have the chance to give back to the community.

Google encourages us to explore projects outside of our specific function — this is the famous “20-percent time” concept of our company's innovation culture. Currently, I spend a percentage of my time as the Executive Sponsor for volunteering projects in Canada. I’m really passionate about this, and when COVID-19 started to impact the Canadian economy, a small group of Googlers started to think about who’s helping the organizations that help Canada’s most vulnerable people. The need was greater than before and with the help of 120+ Googler volunteers across our Canadian offices, we hit the ground running and created an infrastructure to support nonprofits during the pandemic through Google for Nonprofits. Many Canadian nonprofits were unaware of free tools, resources, and free Google Ads that are available through this program, so we’ve been focused on getting them setup to tap into these benefits.

One of the things that I love about the people I work with is that Googlers are helpful, willing to give back, and always raising their hands to get involved.

What advice would you give to women pursuing a career in technology?
Stay curious and be open to what technology can bring, experiment and don’t be afraid to try new things! Technology has the potential to solve many world problems at scale and representation matters.

For me, I didn’t always know what my career would look like. I firmly believe that my mentor changed this for me and helped me understand the possibilities. I would encourage women and young girls to seek mentorship, surround yourself with people that support and inspire you.

When you speak about your work and the tech industry, you light up, you can see there’s a lot of passion, what do you love most about working in tech? So many things! Technology is not only fun, but it can also be used to solve so many problems, it’s endless. The skills you learn in tech are transferable, no matter what you do — this is why I think exploring STEM at a young age is really valuable.

I always tell young adults, if you can’t major in computer science at least minor in it. All industries are being transformed by technology, so it’s an important set of skills to have in your tool box for the future.

Spot misinformation online with these tips

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Google SearchA growing body of external researchEthan PorterThomas WoodYamil Velezgiven last year’s sourdough craze.

See how an image is being used in context online. You can search with an image by right clicking on a photo and selecting “Search Google for Image.” This is a simulated example to illustrate how this product works and not the actual experience.

Check if an image is being used in the right context.

A picture is worth 1000 words, as the old adage goes. But a picture can also be taken out of context or edited to mislead. You can search with an image by right clicking on a photo and selecting “Search Google for Image.” You can do the same on mobile by touching and holding the image. This will look for the picture to check if it has appeared online before, and in what context, so you can see if it has been altered from its original meaning.

What’s better than one source? Several! See how (and whether) different news outlets have reported on the same event so that you can get the full picture. Switch to news mode or search for a topic in news.google.com. Make sure to click through to “Full Coverage” if the option is available.

Looking for news on if Earth was visited by aliens? In this simulated example you can see how you can click to find Full Coverage on a topic, and see what other news orgs are covering it. This GIF is a simulated example and is not the full experience of how the product works.

Consult the fact-checkers.

Fact-checkers may have addressed that random story your relative sent you in the group chat – or a similar one that will point you in the right direction to find out what really happened. Try searching for the topic in the Fact Check Explorer, which collects more than 100,000 fact checks from reputable publishers around the world.

In this simulated example see how you can use Fact Check Explorer to find out if an online claim has been fact checked. This is a demonstration of how the product works and not the full experience.

Use Google Earth or Street View to verify the location.

False stories about events happening in far-off places can spread due to our lack of familiarity with their location. If you want to get a sense of whether a photo is actually from the place it claims to be from, try checking Google Earth or look at the Street View of a location on Google Maps.

Say your friend sends you a story about Bigfoot strolling by the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. Searching for the Eiffel Tower on Street View will at the very least confirm that the tower doesn’t have a big red cowboy hat at the top (like it does in Paris, Texas). If that part doesn’t check out, the rest of the story might be fishy, too.

In this simulated example, you can see how you can find the differences between the real Eiffel Tower in Paris, France and the one in Paris, Texas. This is just a demonstration and not the full product experience.

We’re committed to helping people spot misinformation online and supporting the fact-checking ecosystem.

Most recently, we provided $3 million to journalistic efforts fact-checking misinformation about the COVID-19 immunization process, with a concentration on projects that aim to reach audiences underserved by fact-checking. We also launched a GNI University Verification Challenge across Asia to boost verification skills among journalism students. In addition, Google.org helped the nonprofit Full Fact through grant funding and seven full-time pro-bono engineering fellows to boost the number of claims they could detect.

For more tips and best practices, check out the resources put together by the International Fact-Checking Network at factcheckingday.com. And if you’re a journalist, check out the GNI Training Center.

Posted by: Alexios Mantzarlis, News and Information Credibility Lead

Meet the Google for Startups Accelerator Canada Class of 2021

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

a callGoogle for Startups Accelerator to Canada,

Over the next three months, the 12 startups will receive mentorship and technical project support from Google, deep dives and workshops focused on areas like product design, customer acquisition and leadership development. These 12 startups are using technology to solve an array of challenges, from a platform that streamlines the home buying process, to an AI powered clinical assistant. We're inspired and honoured to work alongside these companies in the coming months to help navigate their most pressing technical and business needs.

And with that, meet the 2021 Google for Startups Accelerator Canada cohort:

AccessNow (Toronto) is a social enterprise developing smart technology that connects people with disabilities, governments and corporations to accurate, up-to-date information about the accessibility of places around the world. If information is not already on the AccessNow app, anyone can contribute, adding to the movement for greater access for all.

AVA (Vancouver) creates indoor gardening technology to help people experience the magic of growing. They created AVA Byte, the world's smartest indoor garden designed for people looking to get growing. AVA's vision is to have AVA-grown plants in every home, aiming to shift society’s preference away from cheap, mass agriculture to more homegrown, nutritious and sustainable options.

Homewise (Toronto) automates the mortgage process, with a five minute application and predictive technology to match clients with the best mortgage options from over 30 banks and lenders. Then Homewise’s tech-powered advisors guide borrowers from approval to move-in and beyond, getting them the best-tailored mortgage, while saving time and money - all for free!

ICwhatUC (Calgary) is an augmented reality and artificial intelligence powered video platform that enables an on-demand connection between experts and customers to instantly resolve issues, triage problems, and prevent downtime; making work safer, saving time, saving costs, and increasing customer satisfaction. It provides remote help for everyday solutions, like maintenance, sales estimates or service training.

Knockri (Toronto) is a behavioural skills assessment tool that improves diversity without impacting work performance or hiring efficiency. Knockri helps diversity focused talent acquisition teams shortlist and find the best fit candidates for an interview.

Neurescence (Toronto) is an early-stage medical device company that combines machine learning with its proprietary optical technology to solve critical medicinal and clinical challenges for overcoming neurological disorders.

Orbiseed (Toronto) transforms architecture, engineering, construction, owner operator (AECOO) workflows using AI to accelerate document processing and unlock high-quality value from building data. This drives efficiency, improves decision-making and reduces business risk.

Phelix AI (Toronto) is a zero-code, omni-channel, and AI powered virtual assistant for healthcare workflows. Phelix uses cutting edge technology to automate around the edges of existing healthcare silos, followed by an API first approach to rebuild the EMR stack for the future.

Summatti (Waterloo) is an AI-powered platform that helps businesses save time and money to empower their customer support team, whether they're on-site or remote. Summatti analyzes every single interaction in real-time across multiple channels such as phone, email, chat, CRM, etc. to provide an end-to-end overview of the customers’ experience.

Together (Toronto) makes software to help HR professionals at enterprises launch, manage and measure mentoring programs at scale for their employees, bringing world-class professional development to all companies.

Virtuo (Calgary) technology creates an industry ecosystem around the needs of homebuyers to help with common pain points experienced from a traditionally fragmented and disconnected journey, turning it into a seamless and stress-free experience.

Visualping (Vancouver) is a robotic process automation start-up that alerts users when something important changes on a webpage of their choice, such as laws and regulations, competitive intelligence and more.

We can’t wait to start working with these founders and startup teams to help grow and scale their businesses. And we’re excited to continue with our second year of programming and support for Canadian startups. This year we’ve doubled down on our efforts to help startups and founders across Canada, with five accelerators open to Canadian startups in 2021, including the Google for Startups Accelerator: Voice AI, Google for Startups Accelerator: Climate Change, Google for Startups Accelerator for Black Founders, and Google for Startups Accelerator for Women Founders.
Posted by Ashley Francisco, Head of Startup Developer Ecosystems, Google Canada

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