Ottawa: The Government of Canada is committed to supporting a research environment that is open and collaborative while also safeguarding the integrity of Canada’s research enterprise, national security, and long-term economic competitiveness and prosperity.
François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry; t Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness; and Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health, on Wednesday released a new policy statement on research security.
The statement outlines the next steps that the government will take to balance openness and collaboration with appropriate safeguards for Canadian researchers’ knowledge, data and intellectual property.
The government has asked members of the joint Government of Canada–Universities Working Group to develop specific risk guidelines to integrate national security considerations into the evaluation and funding of research projects and partnerships.
These guidelines will better position researchers, research institutions and government funders to undertake consistent, due diligence in assessing potential risks to research security.
These guidelines will complement the work already underway by the granting councils and the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) as they review their security policies and procedures, with the goal of better integrating national security considerations into their activities.
Espionage and foreign interference activities by both human and cyber actors pose real threats to Canadian research integrity, intellectual property and business interests.
Canadian research organizations should remain vigilant and ensure that they are applying best practices for securing their research and intellectual property, including employing strong cybersecurity and physical security protocols.
“Canada’s research excellence is driven by our world-renowned researchers and institutions. The strength of our research ecosystem is recognized globally, and this needs to be protected.
That’s why the Government of Canada is taking the steps needed to make sure Canadian researchers have the tools they need to mitigate potential risks and safeguard knowledge and intellectual property they generate.”