Lyft (LYFT) will open a new technology hub in Toronto’s financial district next year, making the city its second-largest global tech center after San Francisco. The expansion underscores Lyft’s strategy to diversify growth beyond its U.S. base and strengthen its footprint in international markets.
The Toronto hub will employ hundreds of staff across engineering, product, marketing, and operations, the company said Thursday. It will serve as a key base to recruit talent from the city’s robust technology ecosystem and support Lyft’s regional mobility services.
Lyft reported that rides in Canada increased by over 20% in the first half of 2025, reinforcing its growing importance to the company’s global business. Since launching in Toronto in 2017, Lyft has expanded into bikeshare programs in Ontario and Quebec, including Bikeshare Toronto.
The move follows Lyft’s $200 million acquisition of European platform FreeNow earlier this year, as well as the opening of a new global tech hub in Barcelona. It also comes on the heels of the company’s £83 million ($111 million) purchase of TBR Global Chauffeuring, expanding into luxury transportation services across 120 countries.
With a global workforce nearing 3,000, Lyft’s Toronto expansion marks a key milestone in its bid to compete globally and capitalize on the rising demand for ride-hailing and urban mobility solutions.
