Definitely. When I moved here two years ago people complained that the government town image of Ottawa was reflecting on the startup scene and how there were no outlets for those that wanted to talk about their work or the industry.

But, in addition to the organizers that run these awesome events, Shopify actually did something about it. AFAIK they will be keeping the lounge after they move to Elgin, which is a nice gesture; it has become a hub to many people outside the company.