The Government of Canada will be committing up to $80 million over four years to the National Cybersecurity Consortium (NCC), to help the non-profit consortium lead the federal Cyber Security Innovation Network (CSIN).

The CSIN is an “innovative and highly collaborative national network” that will boost cybersecurity research and development, increase commercialization, and develop skilled cybersecurity talent across Canada. The network will fund projects to meet these goals, which will be delivered by collaborations between universities and colleges, private sector firms of all sizes, and public sector and not-for-profit organizations from all regions of Canada.

For its application for leadership in the CSIN, NCC has worked with over 140 researchers from 35 post-secondary institutions across Canada 46 companies of all sizes, and 34 not-for-profit organizations, governments and governmental organizations.

"We are thrilled that the Government of Canada has appointed the NCC to lead this important program. We believe that the new network will become a major force for the advancement of cybersecurity innovation in Canada,” the NCC executive group said in a joint statement. “As a nation-wide network, CSIN is poised to meaningfully advance cybersecurity across all sectors and in all regions of Canada, opening a new chapter of collaborative innovation in Canadian cybersecurity.”

"Demands on the digital economy continue to rapidly grow, and cyber security is an ever-increasing concern for Canadians and Canadian businesses. That's why it is vital to support and invest in a strong, secure and resilient Canadian cyber ecosystem,” said the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.

The NCC has invited all organizations that wish to engage with the CSIN to directly contact it for more information.