Building Cyber Resilience Where It Matters Most: UQO’s New Role in Canada’s Defence Ecosystem

Canada is doubling down on one of the most critical—and increasingly contested—domains in modern defence: cybersecurity. With a $3.6 million investment from Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED), the Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO) is set to become a key node in strengthening the resilience of Canada’s defence supply chains.

Announced on March 24, 2026, the non-repayable contribution—delivered under the Regional Defence Investment Initiative (RDII) for Quebec—signals a targeted push to bolster regional innovation capacity while reinforcing national security priorities. The funding will support UQO in expanding its ability to develop and transfer cybersecurity technologies, directly addressing the growing threat landscape facing defence-related industries.

At the core of the initiative is the creation of a defence-standard cybersecurity laboratory. Designed as a secure and immersive environment, the lab will allow businesses to test their systems against realistic cyber threats—from industrial espionage and ransomware to operational disruptions. Equipped with advanced computing systems, specialized cybersecurity software, and immersive technologies, the facility will simulate the kinds of attacks that increasingly define modern conflict and competition.

The goal is not just technological advancement, but practical resilience—ensuring that companies embedded in defence supply chains can anticipate, withstand, and recover from cyber incidents that could otherwise compromise critical capabilities.

“By supporting the Université du Québec en Outaouais, CED is making a concrete investment to strengthen defence cybersecurity. This project will make it possible to better equip businesses to face increasingly complex cyberthreats and protect supply chains that are essential to our national security,” explained the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Member of Parliament for Ahuntsic–Cartierville, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for CED.

The investment builds on a foundation already taking shape in the Outaouais region. In 2021, UQO partnered with the Institut national de recherche scientifique (INRS) to establish the Cybersecurity and Digital Trust Joint Research Unit (UMR), aimed at advancing collaborative research in cyber resilience. That momentum continued in 2025, when UQO joined the Multidisciplinary Institute for Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience (IMC2), bringing together world-class expertise to tackle strategic cybersecurity challenges across government, industry, and society.

With this latest funding, those efforts move from collaboration to capability.

“CED’s support for UQO is a veritable lever for the region’s economy. This investment demonstrates the importance the Government of Canada places on stronger sovereignty, security and prosperity for the country. By training the next generation and by propelling innovation forward in the cybersecurity sector, UQO is contributing to our government’s plan to build, protect and strengthen Canada’s defence industry,” said the Honourable Steven MacKinnon, Member of Parliament for Gatineau, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.

The implications extend beyond research. By enabling hands-on experimentation and training in a controlled cyber environment—often referred to as a “cyber range”—UQO is positioning itself as a hub for applied defence innovation. The facility will allow organizations to rehearse real-world scenarios, refine response strategies, and build operational confidence in the face of evolving threats.

“CED’s support for UQO highlights the expertise being developed right here in the Outaouais region. It enables our region to actively contribute to cybersecurity and to a stronger, more resilient defence sector,” stated the Honourable Greg Fergus, Member of Parliament for Hull–Aylmer.

UQO’s leadership sees the project as a step-change in capability, not just for the institution, but for Canada’s broader defence posture.

“This major funding of $3.6 million from the federal government—combined with UQO’s $900,000 contribution, for a total investment of $4.5 million—will make it possible to create, at UQO, a living laboratory for the cyber-resilience of interconnected transportation systems that will be able, among other things, to create simulations in a secure environment, commonly called a cyber range. This laboratory will equip Canada with the strategic capacity to experiment, train and innovate in cybersecurity applied to transportation, which will position the Outaouais region as a reference hub, something I am extremely proud of,” expressed Murielle Laberge, Rector, UQO.

As Canada continues to invest in its defence industrial base, initiatives like this underscore a broader shift: resilience is no longer a downstream consideration—it is being engineered into the system from the start. And in an era where supply chains are as much digital as they are physical, cybersecurity is fast becoming one of the defining pillars of national defence.



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