February 17, 2022
New funding helps advance Canadian leadership in cybersecurity
Waterloo is part of the National Cybersecurity Consortium appointed to lead Canada’s new Cyber Security Innovation Network
On February 17, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced that the National Cybersecurity Consortium (NCC) will receive up to $80 million to lead the Cyber Security Innovation Network.
The University of Waterloo is one of five founding members of the NCC working with public and private sectors to lead world-class cybersecurity innovation and talent development. Cybersecurity and privacy are emerging as critical challenges our society needs to tackle in the coming decade to secure our future.
“Waterloo is uniquely capable at turning information and communication technology research into effective cybersecurity and privacy solutions and innovations that create economic advantages for Canada,” says Vivek Goel, President and Vice-chancellor of Waterloo.
The new Cyber Security Innovation Network will support further research and development, increase commercialization opportunities, and develop skilled cybersecurity talent across Canada.
Charmaine Dean, Waterloo’s Vice-president, Research and International, serves on the NCC board and played a pivotal leadership role in establishing the consortium and supporting this national initiative.
“Waterloo’s Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute has been tackling these issues head-on by building on the University’s expertise in computer science, engineering, mathematics, cryptography and quantum computing to develop the next generation of cybersecurity talent,” Dean says. “The Cyber Security Innovation Network is an important national platform to increase our collaboration between academia, the private sector and government to continue to advance Canadian leadership in cybersecurity.”
Waterloo has more than 50 professors whose research is related to cybersecurity and privacy. The Executive Director of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute, N. Asokan, says the network will help advance their priority in leading interdisciplinary research to improve information security and privacy.
“I am looking forward to all of us at the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute in continuing our work with our NCC partners, across all sectors and in all regions of Canada, to advance Canadian led cybersecurity and privacy solutions and to put NCC in the position to continue to play this important role beyond the funding period,” Asokan says.
About the National Cybersecurity Consortium (NCC)
The NCC is a not-for-profit organization established in 2020 by centres of expertise in cybersecurity at five Canadian universities: Concordia University, Ryerson University, University of Calgary, University of New Brunswick and University of Waterloo.
The NCC worked collaboratively with more than 140 researchers from 35 post-secondary institutions, 16 large firms, 30 small- and medium-sized firms, 26 not-for-profit organizations and 8 governments and governmental organizations across Canada in its application to lead the Cyber Security Innovation Network.
Read more and the NCC’s funding announcement.
About the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute
The Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute at the University of Waterloo facilitates industry-academic collaborations and interdisciplinary research to develop solutions that have the potential to change the global landscape of cybersecurity. The institute brings together more than 50 researchers from across all of Waterloo’s six faculties to enhance information security and privacy.
