Manulife Financial Corp. said it has signed a $70-million technology outsourcing deal to manage the information technology hardware and operations of its Halifax-based Maritime Life subsidiary starting next year.

The deal with IBM Canada Ltd. will see about 35 people from one of its subsidiaries transferred to the computer services company. IBM, based in Markham, Ont., will manage about 3,000 desktop computers and 200 mid-range servers.

The companies said the agreement is expected to provide Manulife with lower technology costs over the next four years. About 35 Maritime Life employees will transfer to IBM under the outsourcing deal.

The transaction comes in the wake Manulife’s acquisition of Maritime Life this spring as part of the Toronto company’s multibillion-dollar takeover of Maritime Life’s Boston-based parent, John Hancock Financial Services Inc.