Cloudflare Plants Its Flag in Toronto

Cloudflare has announced that Toronto will host the company’s first Canadian office and team. The move formalizes the company’s presence in a country that has long been part of its customer base, and it comes with a local hiring push to serve organizations across the region.

The company’s global network already handles a substantial volume of Canadian traffic and security events. Cloudflare reports blocking an average of 70 billion cyber attacks per day globally, with more than 3.2 billion originating from Canada daily—a figure up 26% since the end of 2020. Internet traffic in Canada has also climbed about 60% compared to a year ago, reflecting the broader shift to virtual work, schooling, and healthcare.

Serving Canadian Organizations of All Sizes

Cloudflare’s Canadian customer base spans entrepreneurs, universities, nonprofits, small businesses, and large enterprises. The company points to specific use cases where its technology has been deployed for public benefit, including anti-bullying charity BullyingCanada and COVID-19 vaccine distributors like Verto Health and Jane, which relies on Cloudflare to keep registration sites accessible and manage demand surges.

The company frames its local expansion as a natural extension of its founding mission: helping any organization—whether a hobbyist developer or a major enterprise—deliver services faster, more securely, and more reliably.

Canada’s Tech Ecosystem Matures

Canada ranks among the most Internet-connected countries in the world (#7, per The Inclusive Internet Index), and its workforce is notable for its depth of STEM talent, with over 2.8 million graduates. Toronto has added more tech jobs than any other North American city since 2013, according to the company, outpacing even Silicon Valley.

Cloudflare has also collaborated with Canadian research institutions, including the University of Waterloo, on advancing cybersecurity, cryptography, and privacy standards. The company says having a physical team in the country will strengthen these research ties.

The region’s entrepreneurial community includes organizations like The C100, Next 36, Co.Labs, and Elevate, as well as events such as Collision Conference. Cloudflare’s announcement comes as its co-founder and CEO prepares to speak at Collision about Canadian entrepreneurship.

A Personal and Professional Homecoming

For Cloudflare co-founder Michelle Zatlyn, the announcement carries personal weight. Raised in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Zatlyn’s path to Silicon Valley wound through Montreal, Toronto, and Boston. She credits Saskatchewan’s community-oriented culture for her entrepreneurial foundation and points to Toronto as the place where she first fell in love with startups while working at an early-stage technology company.

Zatlyn met co-founder Matthew Prince at Harvard Business School, where the two began working on what would become Cloudflare. After bringing on third co-founder Lee Holloway, they moved to San Francisco to grow the company. Nearly 11 years later, the expansion to Toronto brings that journey full circle.

Engagement Channels and Next Steps

Cloudflare is hiring locally and invites outreach from several types of organizations. The company’s points of contact include:

  • Research institutions: Universities and research professionals can connect via research.cloudflare.com or by emailing [email protected].
  • Public interest groups: Eligible organizations working in the arts, human rights, civil society, journalism, or democracy can apply for free cybersecurity protection under Project Galileo.
  • Vaccine distribution efforts: Organizations facilitating COVID-19 vaccine distribution can access the company’s Fair Shot initiative, which provides digital queueing and load management at no cost.
  • Businesses: Startups, nonprofits, and small businesses can explore plans starting at $20 or $200 per month, with enterprise options available by contacting the Canadian customer team.
  • Careers: Those interested in joining Cloudflare’s Canadian team can view open positions on the company’s careers page.