Ontario Cybersecurity Excellence Initiative launched to drive cyber competitiveness

Canadian Cyber Threat Exchange and Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst at Toronto Metropolitan University have launched the Ontario Cybersecurity Excellence Initiative (OCEI) – an effort to drive Ontario's cyber competitiveness and resilience in six key sectors: advanced manufacturing, automotive, life sciences, mining, law enforcement and smart infrastructure.

This initiative is funded by $5 million from the Government of Ontario's Critical Technology Initiatives program, which drives the use of critical technologies by Ontario companies and enables the development and adoption of innovative made-in-Ontario solutions.

This funding will combine with $3.8 million provided to Brampton-based Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst by Rogers Communications, to enable the implementation and delivery of the initiative. Other in-kind contributions will bring the program total to $10 million over three years.

OCEI will activate new streams of programming at the Catalyst that have the following goals:

• Empower technology startups to solve key cybersecurity-related challenges in Ontario's critical sectors
• Train small and medium-sized enterprises in Ontario – in particular those SMEs that are working in critical sectors – to adopt and integrate cybersecurity technologies into their products and processes, driving their competitiveness and ability to access international supply chains.

"Ontario is one of the largest tech hubs in North America and critical technologies like cybersecurity fuel and drive made-in-Ontario innovation as companies include new technologies in their products," said Vic Fedeli, minister of economic development, job creation and trade. "Our government is proud to support CCTX's work to help businesses across the province develop and adopt new-generation cybersecurity technology so they can become more competitive, grow and create more well-paying jobs."