IBM (NYSE: IBM) is adding 500 jobs – in Canada.
On Thursday, IBM struck an agreement with the Government of Nova Scotia to create the center and 500 jobs over eight years.
IBM will receive up to $12.2 million in tax rebates and also landed a data services contract for $8.4 million.
The center is the first of its kind for IBM in Canada.
As part of the agreement, IBM said it would offer employment contracts to 74 of 120 government workers who could be displaced by the data services outsourcing plan by the local government. The data agreement for SAP application management covers 10 years.
However, local labor officials were cool to the news, fearing loss of jobs and benefits.
IBM also said it would make a “multi-million dollar investment” to work with Nova Scotia Community College, Dalhousie University, Acadia University, Cape Breton University, Saint Francis Xavier University and St. Mary’s University to develop “a province-wide center of excellence in analytics education, certification, training and research.”
IBM employs some 10,000 people across North Carolina.
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