A Guide to Co-Working Spaces in Canada: For Freelancers and Entrepreneurs

Some freelancers, entrepreneurs and digital nomads may prefer the familiarity and predictability of global and/or Canadian coworking franchises such as WeWork, Spaces, Selina, Impact Hub and Techhub.

Others may be searching for something a little different, and perhaps even memorable. The following article highlights unique, independently-owned coworking spaces located in various Canadian cities:

• KWENCH Victoria
• L’Atelier Vancouver
• Centre For Resilience Calgary
• Project Spaces Toronto
• Centre for Social Innovation Toronto
• Collabüro Ottawa
• Îlots D'été Montréal
• Indigenous-owned coworking spaces

KWENCH

KWENCH spans over 25,000 square feet in an artfully-renovated space originally built to house Victoria’s streetcars. It includes creative studios, private offices, open workspaces, fitness facilities, workshops, events, lectures, art installations, meditation areas, and dining options—all in one place.

KWENCH seems to cover all the bases, and more–the list of offerings, services and facilities at KWENCH is long. Memberships are flexible and include furnished workspaces, shared social desks, private offices, height-adjustable desks, integrated workspace technology, fibre internet, event spaces, fitness classes, mail service, meditation room and library, kitchen and dining areas, lockers, showers, bicycle storage, coffee, tea, sparkling water, printing, workshops, lectures, bookable boardrooms, administrative facilities, an on-site licensed bar, social and cultural events, private phone booths, and security.

KWENCH provides a space for business owners to host events like conferences, film screenings, book launches, board meetings, workshops, office parties, and off-site strategy sessions.

Individual memberships range from $190/month to $690/month with the option to add on services such as a virtual mailbox, a personal trainer and access to boardrooms.

KWENCH - 2031 Store St, Victoria, BC V8T 5L9, Canada

Monday to Friday, 8 AM–6 PM | Saturday & Sunday, Closed

+12503850352

L’Atelier

This woman-owned Vancouver coworking space hosts a diverse and talented creative community, with members primarily engaged in design, marketing, PR, e-commerce, animation, UX, writing, content creation, and innovative tech.

Located in Gastown (which some say is the most in-demand area of Vancouver), L'Atelier is housed in a beautiful heritage building and emphasises a positive atmosphere. Everything from the interior design to operations aligns with their core value: to make work feel better.

L'Atelier offers daily, weekly, and month-to-month options for membership. Included in the membership are a reserved desk, 24/7 access, lockable storage drawers, 10 hours of free meeting room bookings per month, mailbox service, and access to meeting rooms, phone rooms, and common areas. Most importantly, L’Atelier is dog-friendly.

Pricing is $450/month with a 6-month commitment or $475/month with a 3-month commitment. Additional perks include access to the membership portal and Slack channel, discounts on Mobi Bike Share plans, and printing services.

L’Atelier- 319 W Hastings St #400, Vancouver, BC V6B 1H6, Canada

Monday to Friday, 9 AM–5 PM | Saturday and Sunday, Closed

+17786974702

Centre for Resilience

The name of this Winnipeg coworking space packs a punch. CMU's Centre for Resilience is a co-working lab for civic-minded social innovators, entrepreneurs, and researchers, offering a 6,000 square foot open-concept workspace designed for high-focus work.

Located at the CMU campus in the iconic Founders Hall (500 Shaftesbury Blvd.), the Centre connects resident entrepreneurs to university programming to help them achieve their goals.

In comparison to coworking spaces in other cities, the Centre is very affordable. Dedicated desks cost $150/month, and custom packages are available. Benefits include working with like-minded organisations, networking opportunities, access to on-campus knowledge, student assistance through CMU's practicum program, and support for social entrepreneurs through Winnipeg's social innovation ecosystem.

Amenities include WiFi, printing services, sit/stand desks, soft seat lounges, one boardroom, two meeting rooms, phone access, free parking, locker access, and a kitchenette.

READ: The Digital Nomad's Guide to Living in Canada

Project Spaces

Toronto’s Project Spaces is a founder-friendly coworking community designed for startups and freelancers. Since 2011, their open-concept workspaces have supported over 2,000 companies, hosting a diverse community of tenacious entrepreneurs.

Project Spaces was created to offer an affordable and flexible workspace solution, with simple contracts requiring only a two-month commitment.

Desk memberships are $595/month and include unlimited 24/7 access, secure storage, a mailing address, fast wifi, printing, scanning, beverages, partner discounts and even an optional health and dental plan.

Project Spaces- 20 Camden St Suite 200, Toronto, ON M5V 1V1, Canada

Monday to Friday, 9 AM–5 PM | Saturday & Sunday, Closed

+14163049014

Centre for Social Innovation

Toronto’s Centre for Social Innovation (CSI) has three different locations and wears many hats. Often seen as an incubator, accelerator, coworking space, community centre, lab, and innovator, CSI supports a community of social innovators dedicated to building a world that puts people and the planet first.

CSI works with people and organisations – including small, early stage, emerging and often marginalised people, nonprofits and social ventures that are working to solve a social or environmental challenge. CSI leverages the power of collaboration, entrepreneurship and systems change to address the ‘crisis of imagination’ by proving that new models, new enterprises and new solutions can drive the Next Economy.

The CSI Coworking Space Membership includes 24/7 access, mail services, coffee, and a supportive community. It is ideal for individuals and teams looking for a secure, meaningful workspace to store their belongings and collaborate with like-minded organisations.

Offers for individual freelancers and entrepreneurs:

• Lounge Pass - $40/day: Drop in for the day at CSI to work and connect. No monthly commitment required, with access to all amenities.

• Hot Desks - $150-$375/month: Flexible workspace packages for new founders or systems changers. Includes between 20-120 coins for meeting room bookings every month.

• Dedicated Desks - $550/month: A dedicated desk with lockable cabinet storage, 240 coins for meeting room bookings, and 24/7 access to workspace.

Centre for Social Innovation- 192 Spadina Ave., Toronto, ON M5T 2C2, Canada

Monday to Friday, 9:30 AM–4:30 PM | Saturday & Sunday, Closed

+14169793939

Collabüro

Ottawa’s Collabüro offers a modern and comfortable coworking and events space. The space features various event spaces accommodating groups from 6 to 120 people, along with meeting/conference rooms for presentations or brainstorming sessions.

Collabüro also provides a range of workspace environments with private desks, height-adjustable tables and cosy lounge chairs. Amenities include 24/7 access, hot and cold drinks, ergonomic seating, printing, scanning, copying, shredding, meeting rooms, mailing address, whiteboards, presentation monitors, lockers, showers, and an accessible washroom.

Individual memberships range from $199/month to $475/month. Custom flex memberships are available for individuals or teams, and day passes come in 1-, 3-, and 10-day bundles.

The name Collabüro combines "Collaboration" and "Büro," the German word for office, paying homage to the building's original identity as a German Church since the 1960s, thereby connecting with the Preston St community's heritage.

Collabüro- 499 Preston St, Ottawa, ON K1S 4N7, Canada

Monday to Friday, 9 AM–5 PM | Saturday & Sunday, Closed

+13435427777

Îlots D'été

Montreal’s Îlots d’été Network, operated by Aire Commune, provides free outdoor workspaces during the spring and summer months. These facilities are purposefully crafted for remote work in outdoor settings that are strategically located across different neighbourhoods in Montreal.

Aire Commune is North America's first outdoor co-working and event site and is the result of several years of expertise in outdoor workspace design.

Îlots D'été- Place Ville Marie, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Monday to Friday, 9 AM–5 PM | Saturday & Sunday, Closed

+15148057329

Indigenous-centred Coworking Spaces

Indigenous-centred workspaces such as The First Peoples Innovation Centre's FabLab in Gatineau and the Songhees Innovation Centre in Victoria offer a supportive environment where Indigenous innovators can thrive. By combining traditional values with contemporary methods, these spaces promote collaboration, resilience and cultural awareness by empowering Indigenous entrepreneurs.

READ: Navigating Canada's Tech Scene: Startups and Innovations Shaping the Future