Microsoft Cloud Coming to Canada: Partners Expect Warm Welcome from Government, Industry

Beginning in 2016, Microsoft will deliver commercial cloud services from Canada. Azure, Office 365 and Dynamics CRM Online will be delivered from Toronto and Quebec City, strengthening Microsoft's footprint in Canada's competitive cloud landscape.

General availability of Azure is anticipated in early 2016, followed by Office 365 and Dynamics CRM Online later in the year. These new locally deployed services will address data residency considerations for Microsoft customers that are looking to the cloud for business solutions.

"Soon, the Microsoft Cloud will be truly Canadian," said Kevin Turner, Worldwide Chief Operating Officer, Microsoft, in a statement. "This substantial investment in a Canadian cloud demonstrates how committed we are to bringing even more opportunity to Canadian businesses and government organizations, helping them fully realize the cost savings and flexibility of the cloud."

Microsoft reports it is already delivering cloud-based email, Office 365, and CRM Online to more than 80,000 Canadian businesses, including Air Canada, Quebecor, and Hatch.

Addressing Canadian business and government concerns

Jeff Bacon, VP Client Development, Catapult in Vancouver, BC, told MSDynamicsWorld.com that this is a pretty big deal for Canadian partners and businesses.

"First and foremost, Canadians are a bit of a suspicious lot," Bacon said. We tend to like things that are in Canada or made in Canada. We're a little more patriotic and we don't like to be forgotten. So this will appeal to the Canadian market, especially to the Canadian government."

Bacon said his company has been in a few deals with companies that were considering Dynamics CRM Online simply because it was on their enterprise agreement but ...