The Council
Canada is well-positioned to be a leader in cyber security with a strong foundation already in place thanks to our leading firms, technology and talent — but our global competitors are moving fast. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and its members on the Cyber Security Council are committed to engaging with government to shape new strategies and legislation that will help enhance the global competitiveness of Canadian cyber security solutions and realize Canada’s potential as the most cyber-secure country in the world.
Since cyber security is essential to Canada’s national and economic security, the Council is focused on shaping key policy priorities to ensure that the federal government invests in cyber security at levels on-par with G7 peers to protect Canada’s infrastructure, business and communities from ever-evolving threats. Increased action and investment in cyber security stands to benefit all Canadians which is why the Council aims to advance talent development, workforce diversification, DEI, research and development and commercialization in the space.
The Council is made up of a diverse group of organizations of all sizes from across Canada that are operating in cyber security, technology, finance, telecommunications, energy and other sectors.
Policy Priorities
Accelerating the competitiveness of Canada’s cyber security industry will require continuous and strategic investment in cyber security innovation, talent development and infrastructure. In a tightly competitive global market, Canada finds itself at risk of being left behind.
Government must:
- Modernize research and development programs as well as intellectual property strategies to reward companies undertaking high-risk research where near-term returns on investment are absent.
With Canadians frequently accessing digital services, the risks are at an all time high and considered to be a “persistent threat to Canadians” by Canada’s Centre for Cyber Security. Consider this data from the 2023 CIRA Cybersecurity Survey:
- More than 60% of organizations have used their cyber incidence response plan in the last 12 months.
- In 2023, 40% of organizations experienced an employee and/or customer data breach compared to 11% in 2022.
- Nearly 30% of organizations experienced a loss of revenue as a result of a cyberattack last year, compared to 17% in 2022.
Protecting privacy and data protection and securing Canadian critical infrastructure, supply chains and businesses of all sizes from cyber threats are essential actions in our modern economy.
Government must:
- Secure Canadian critical infrastructure, supply chains and businesses from cyber threats by investing in cyber security. Encouraging investment in IT and operational technology security will help critical infrastructure operators of all sizes develop and deploy prevention-first cyber security strategies.
Canada needs technology procurement practices that are more agile and increase the diversity of bidders on government contracts.
Government must:
- Stimulate cyber security innovation in Canada through public sector procurement by making government technology procurement practices more agile, challenge-based and outcome-driven.
- Create more opportunities for cyber security start-ups, scale-ups and underrepresented groups who own or lead small businesses by leveraging existing policies and accelerating efforts by Public Services and Procurement Canada to increase the diversity of bidders on government contracts.
In 2018, Canada’s 340 cyber security companies contributed $2.3 billion to Canada’s GDP and 22,000 high-skilled, well-paying jobs. Continuing to sustain innovation and build trust in this digital world demands continued growth of cyber security capacity.
Government must:
- Make cyber security education, talent development and retention a national priority and invest in programs that diversify and expand the cyber-workforce pipeline.
- Align skilled workforce immigration programs to help Canadian companies recruit top cyber security talent globally through creative incentive programs, such as fast-track immigration.
Co-Chairs
Richard Rogerson
CEO, Founder,
Packetlabs Ltd.
Rhys Sandner
Director,
Public Policy
For more information on the Cyber Security Council, please contact David Pierce, Vice President, Government Relations.
Updates
The Cyber Security Council was pleased to see that the 2025 B7 Communiqué, presented to Canada’s G7 Sherpa ahead of the G7 Leaders’ Summit in June, included recommendations for increasing cyber security preparedness that align with the Council’s advocacy. Read more.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce Mandate Letter to the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety. Read more.
In April, the Cyber. Right. Now. Council was renamed to the Cyber Security Council.
On February 11, 2025, Ulrike Bahr-Gedalia, Senior Director of Digital Economy, Technology, and Innovation at the Canadian Chamber, and Cyber. Right. Now. Council Lead, was invited to participate on a panel at the Canadian Internet Society’s Digital Access Day. Read more.
On February 6, 2025, Public Safety Canada released its Canada’s National Cyber Security Strategy: Securing Canada’s Digital Future. The Council contributed to this strategy significantly, in particular with respect to the Accelerated Investment Incentive which allows SMEs to benefit from tax incentives for capital investments, including those related to cybersecurity.
On November 18, 2024, the Cyber. Right. Now. Council hosted its second in-person series of meetings with senior government officials to discuss the state of cybersecurity, cybercrime, cyber resilience and cybersecurity legislation in Canada. Read more.
On November 4, 2024, our Senior Director, Digital Economy, Technology & Innovation, Ulrike Bahr-Gedalia, appeared before the Senate Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs to express our concerns on Bill C-26, an Act respecting cyber security. Read more.
In advance of the 4th annual International Counter Ransomware Initiative (CRI) summit, Ulrike Bahr-Gedalia, Senior Director, Digital Economy, Technology & Innovation at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, interviewed technology industry leader Marjorie Dickman, Chief Government Affairs and Public Policy Officer at BlackBerry, about the rising threat of ransomware. Read more.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s statement regarding the Auditor General’s recent report that found the RCMP, the CSE and the CRTC lack the right tools to protect Canadians from cyberattacks and online crime. Read more.
Op-ed: Canada’s cybersecurity gap needs to be addressed now. The Hill Times. Read more.
Ulrike Bahr-Gedalia, Cyber. Right. Now. Lead and Senior Director, Digital Economy, Technology & Innovation at the Canadian Chamber, was selected to join the B20 Brazil Task Force on Digital Transformation. The task force will take a closer look at the potential and impact of digital technologies, including cybersecurity. Read more.
On February 5, 2024, our Senior Director of Digital Economy, Technology and Innovation Ulrike Bahr-Gedalia, addressed the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security to discuss Bill C-26, an act respecting cybersecurity. Read more.
On November 27, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce submitted their comments on Bill C-26 in a letter to the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security. Read more.
On October 4, attendees joined our virtual Cybersecurity Executive Summit to hear from industry leaders on the importance of securing our digitally enabled world. Read more or watch a recording of the event.
In an interview with Ulrike Bahr-Gedalia, Senior Director, Digital Economy, Technology & Innovation at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Yana Lukasheh, Vice-President of Government Affairs and Business Development of SAP Canada, discussed the advantages of accelerating digital technology adoption to achieve net-zero objectives. Read more.
Ulrike Bahr-Gedalia, Senior Director, Digital Economy, Technology & Innovation at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, interviewed tech policy thought leader Marjorie Dickman, Chief Government Affairs and Public Policy Officer at BlackBerry about one of today’s hottest topics: generative Artificial Intelligence. Read more.
On April 24 and 25, 2023, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce held our annual Hill Days, where business leaders from various sectors came together to meet with Parliamentarians and government officials to discuss the most pressing policy issues affecting Canadian businesses and the economy. Members of the Cyber. Right. Now. Council met with government representatives from different ministries and departments, including the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, Public Safety, Innovation, Science and Industry, National Defence, and the Privy Council Office. Read more.
The Internet of Things (IoT) innovation is having a significant impact on the cybersecurity landscape for Canadian companies. As more and more devices are connected to the internet, the attack surface for cybercriminals expands, and the potential for security breaches increases. In March 2023, Cyber. Right. Now. Council lead Ulrike Bahr-Gedalia discussed IoT innovations and their impact on Canadian businesses with Farshad Abasi, Chief Security Officer at Forward Security. Read more.
Members
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