Shopify Dumps Canadians, Expands in Europe: Corporate Loyalty Is a Myth

In a move that should enrage every Canadian who’s ever believed in the promise of the tech economy, Ottawa-based e-commerce powerhouse Shopify has announced it will be laying off 15% of its global workforce. But here's the kicker: the majority of those job losses are happening right here in Canada, even as Shopify aggressively expands its operations overseas in Europe.

The announcement, dropped like a corporate bombshell with the usual sterile HR jargon—"streamlining operations," "aligning resources with strategic goals"—is nothing less than a brutal betrayal of the Canadian workforce that helped build Shopify into one of the most successful tech companies in the world.

Let’s be clear: this isn’t a company that’s hemorrhaging money or circling the drain. Shopify is still making billions. This move isn’t about survival—it’s about profits over people, and it reveals a cold, calculated decision to abandon its roots in search of cheaper labour and looser regulations abroad.

The Numbers Don't Lie

• 15% of workforce gone: Thousands of jobs lost globally, most in Canada

• Majority of layoffs in Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal offices

• Simultaneous hiring ramp-up in Europe, particularly Germany and the Netherlands

This isn’t just a realignment; it’s a realignment away from Canadians. Shopify’s leadership, once praised as visionary champions of remote work and digital entrepreneurship, are now behaving like every other soulless multinational: bleeding jobs at home while chasing the next tax haven.

The Real Message

Shopify’s announcement is a masterclass in corporate spin. Tucked between carefully worded statements about “efficiency” and “global reach” is the unspoken truth: Canada is no longer where Shopify sees its future. And if you’re still clinging to the myth that Canadian companies are somehow more ethical or loyal than Silicon Valley’s behemoths, it’s time to wake up.

This move sends a chilling message to every Canadian tech worker: you’re expendable. Your loyalty, your late nights, your belief in the mission—none of it matters when a CFO sees better margins on another continent.

A Wake-Up Call for Canada's Tech Sector

The Shopify bloodbath should be a national wake-up call. We can no longer pretend that "homegrown tech" means anything when our flagship companies are willing to gut their Canadian workforce at the first opportunity. Canada has spent years offering tax credits, grants, and sweetheart deals to tech giants like Shopify. In return? Pink slips and silence.

Where’s the accountability? Where’s the government response? Don’t hold your breath.

Final Thoughts

The next time a Canadian tech CEO gives a TED Talk about “values,” remember this moment. Remember that a company born and raised in Ottawa just turned its back on Canadian workers while setting up shop overseas. Because corporate loyalty isn’t just dead—it never existed.