OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 29, 2026 /CNW/ -- Canada faces an expanding and complex cyber threat landscape, characterized by a growing number of malicious and unpredictable state and non-state cyber threat actors targeting critical infrastructure and threatening national security. In response, Public Safety Canada and the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSE) convened the first in-person meeting of the Canadian Cyber Defence Collective Strategic Forum (CCDC-SF) Advisory Council at CSE's Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (Cyber Centre) in Ottawa. Joined by the Secretary of State for Combatting Crime, Ruby Sahota, public and private‑sector leaders discussed national cyber security challenges, priorities, and defence efforts.
Announced as part of the 2025 National Cyber Security Strategy, the Strategic Forum is a joint initiative led by Public Safety Canada and CSE's Cyber Centre to build strong, whole‑of‑society partnerships that strengthen Canada's collective cyber resilience. Co‑chaired by the Deputy Minister of Public Safety and the Chief of CSE, it brings together leaders from the information and communication technology, energy, food, and transportation sectors to share expertise, coordinate action, build resilience against evolving cyber threats, including those associated with artificial intelligence, and modernize Canada's approach to cyber security.
The CCDC-SF combines government intelligence with industry expertise to improve Canada's ability to anticipate, withstand and respond to cyber threats. This coordinated approach will help protect the essential systems and services people in Canada rely on every day.
Quotes
"The Canadian Cyber Defence Collective Strategic Forum Advisory Council brings together the best of our public and private-sector cyber expertise to strengthen our national resilience. By working together, we can better secure our cyber systems and protect our critical infrastructure from malicious cyber activity."
- The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety
"As cyber threats continue to evolve, so must the way we work together to address them. Today, I attended the first in-person meeting of the Canadian Cyber Defence Collective Strategic Forum Advisory Council, bringing together leaders from across Canada's cyber community to discuss how we can deepen collaboration and advance policy solutions to better protect the critical infrastructure Canadians rely on every day."
- The Honourable Ruby Sahota, Secretary of State for Combatting Crime
"Cyber threats are evolving rapidly, and protecting Canada's critical infrastructure is essential to our national security and sovereignty. The Canadian Cyber Defence Collective Strategic Forum brings government and industry together to turn shared expertise into coordinated action. By improving how we anticipate emerging risks and prevent, withstand and recover from cyber incidents, we are strengthening Canada's cyber resilience, safeguarding our sovereignty and helping keep the essential systems and services Canadians rely on secure."
- The Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence
Quick Facts
- The CCDC-SF includes senior executives from private industry representing Bell Canada, BlackBerry, Canadian National Railway, Enbridge, J.D. Irving, Telesat, and WestJet.
- The CCDC-SF also includes representation from provincial and territorial governments. Current representatives are from the Government of Ontario and the Government of Nova Scotia.
- Members were selected based on sector and regional representation, recommendations from Government of Canada stakeholders, and their ability to directly strengthen Canada's cyber resiliency.
- The CCDC-SF will meet at least twice a year, virtually and in person. Meeting outcomes will be shared in an annual report, published to the Public Safety website in April for that fiscal year.
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Contacts: Simon Lafortune, Deputy Director of Communications and Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety, [email protected]; Kelsey MacDonald, Director of Communications, Office of the Honourable Ruby Sahota, Secretary of State (Combatting Crime), [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Safety Canada, 613-991-0657, [email protected]; Media Relations, Communications Security Establishment Canada, [email protected]
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