Founded in 2019, Quantum Industry Canada (QIC) is a national business-led consortium that brings together companies, research leaders, and stakeholders across Canada’s quantum sector. It works to advance the commercialization and industrialization of quantum technologies; including computing, sensing, and communications.
You have previously expressed that Canada is moving away from primarily inventing technologies to also anchoring them. What would it take for Canada to turn its early quantum leadership into lasting industrial strength?
There are three pieces to that. One is a sustained effort. It’s not about abandoning invention—Canada’s ingenuity and long-term commitment to foundational research are real strengths, and they need to continue for emerging and disruptive technologies. Sustaining early commercialization is just as important. We’re not done doing foundational research or creating companies in these spaces, and Canada has been at the forefront, including the Creative Destruction Labs quantum stream and [quantum ventures supporting a number of those efforts]. That early-stage momentum needs to continue, while also looking at the bigger picture.
The second step is scale—the sales and procurement piece. We need to focus on acquisition and buying technologies, not just developing them. That’s critical for scaling firms and building investor confidence through real deployment. Transformative technology doesn’t change the world when it’s invented; it changes it when it’s adopted. The third pillar is speed. This is a global race, particularly in defence and security, and we need to move with the speed of execution on existing strategies to compete globally.
Canada has one of the world’s most concentrated quantum ecosystems, with firms spanning computing, sensing, communications, and cryptography. What is the country’s most distinct competitive advantage?
It’s the strength and diversity of the ecosystem. These are complex technologies, and deployment will involve systems of systems rather than isolated verticals. Canada’s breadth across computing, sensing, communications, and cryptography gives strong insight into system integration and how these technologies function in the real world.
That allows problems to be solved in tandem. A breakthrough in sensing can impact computing, while networking is essential for scaling fault-tolerant systems. Having those capabilities in one place creates a strong backbone for moving quantum technologies forward.
You’ve argued that quantum should be treated as a sovereign capability and critical infrastructure. How should that shape thinking on economic security and defence?
It’s already shaping that thinking.
Canada’s defence industrial strategy identifies quantum computing, sensing, and communications as sovereign capabilities. There is growing recognition that emerging technologies are integral to economic prosperity, projection, and protection.
A key framework Canada has introduced through its new Defence Industrial Strategy is ‘build, partner, buy’. We build on Canadian strengths, partner where needed, and integrate with allies and global supply chains. Where there are gaps, we buy from abroad. That approach is embedded in policy, though more will become clear as execution progresses.
Quantum is still often seen as a future technology, yet some applications are deployable now. Where have Canadian companies come closest to real commercial and operational scale?
One clear area is cryptography. The first wave of standards is now out and solutionas are moving through certification. Crypto4A, for example, developed the world’s first certified quantum-secure hardware security module to safeguard the world’s most critical digital systems. In this space, the question isn’t when a cryptographically-relevant quantum computer will arrive—it’s how long data needs to remain secure, and reframing risk around that. The Government of Canada’s post-quantum migration roadmap, alongside those of other leading economies, is already advancing adoption across government and critical infrastructure.
Another area is sensing and communications. SBQuantum, based in Sherbrooke, is participating in the MagQuest Challenge to generate a new magnetic model of the Earth, and the leading firms will see their technology enabled in mapping applications in the future. If you look at the little blue dot when you open a mapping app on your phone, that will soon be powered by quantum—and potentially by SBQuantum. There is also significant activity in defence and public safety, including firms linked to NATO DIANA. On communications, Canada’s Kirq testbed, powered by Numana, brings together companies such as Nokia, Toshiba, and TELUS alongside startups to explore deployment in telecommunications environments under real-life conditions, including how to leverage existing infrastructure and where new innovation is required.
Scaling deep tech remains a challenge. What are the biggest obstacles today?
It’s a mix of factors. Procurement is critical—when technologies are ready, or nearly ready, we need clear pathways to purchase. Many quantum technologies are dual-use and will be defence-first, so procurement pathways in defence, led by government, are essential. Timelines also need to be much faster than traditionally seen, not just in Canada but across NATO, making this a shared challenge.
Capital is another major factor. Different quantum technologies have different requirements, but something like a fault-tolerant quantum computer cannot be built on a shoestring—it requires significant investment. Canada has a smaller pool of deep tech and dual-use investors, though this is shifting, and policy can play a role in crowding in private investment. Talent is equally important. Canada has strengths, having trained early talent, but there is a global shortage, and the sector now requires a broader workforce beyond PhDs.
A further challenge is industrialization. Beyond commercialization, quantum represents a fundamentally new hardware platform. While some conventional manufacturing can be used, it pushes tolerances and performance requirements. This places quantum at the beginning of a new advanced manufacturing phase, requiring investment in infrastructure to bring technologies to scale.
Looking ahead, where will quantum have the greatest impact on Canada’s growth—as a standalone sector or an enabling technology?
The latter. Quantum technologies are a platform technology with the potential to disrupt almost every sector, creating new systems and business models. The real impact will come through adoption and deployment across industries.
There are projections: a McKinsey study estimated that by 2035, quantum computing, communications, and sensing could generate up to $2 trillion USD in value. The Quantum Insider estimates that only about 6% of this will go to developers and the rest to adopters. It mirrors the internet—companies like Amazon and Netflix captured value by reimagining business models. That’s what makes this stage of quantum so significant—we’re still in the very early innings of what it will become.
