Canada's Data Centres Face Rising Security Risks Amid Strategic Developments

• •CSIS identifies data centres as critical for national security amid rising cyber threats.
• •The Canadian government plans a $1.5 billion data centre for the CSE in Ottawa.
• •Foreign ownership of data centres raises significant national security concerns.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) warns that data centres in Canada are becoming increasingly critical for national security, yet they face growing security risks from cyberattacks, supply chain vulnerabilities, and foreign threats. A recent assessment highlights the importance of these facilities in protecting sensitive information and supporting economic stability. The report emphasizes that foreign ownership poses significant risks, particularly from companies in China. Concurrently, the Canadian government plans to construct a new data centre for the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) in Ottawa, aimed at enhancing secure computing capacity. This facility will support mid to long-term objectives related to operations and technology modernization. The estimated cost of the project is between $1.5 billion and $1.8 billion, with a tender expected in 2027. The assessment also notes that data centres can be targets for cyberattacks, citing recent incidents involving Iranian and Russian attacks on data centres.