“For our government, it is essential to create an environment conducive to the development of innovation. That is why we have provided Numana with $6.5 million in funding to help it set up its quantum communication network, which will be accessible to Quebec businesses.” Eric Girard, Minister for Regional Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region.
“The launch of Kirq is a landmark event for the quantum ecosystem. Its tools and experimental laboratories encourage the development, commercialisation and adoption of cutting-edge technologies.” Gilles Bélanger, Minister of Cybersecurity and Digital Affairs.

“Our government is committed to investing to ensure that our SMEs remain competitive and innovative. Thanks to CED’s investment in regional quantum innovation, we are helping to position Quebec’s SMEs and organisations and to strengthen Canada’s global leadership in this emerging field. The entire Canadian population, as well as our economy, will benefit from the success and spin-offs of the creation of test beds for the quantum communications network in Sherbrooke, Montreal and now in Quebec City!” The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Economic Development Canada for the Regions of Quebec (DEC).

Bell is Canada’s largest communications company¹, providing advanced broadband Internet, mobile, television, media and business communications services. Founded in Montreal in 1880, Bell is wholly owned by BCE Inc. For more information, visit Bell.ca or BCE.ca.

Through Bell for Good, we are investing to create a better today and a better tomorrow by supporting the social and economic prosperity of our communities. This includes the Bell Let’s Talk initiative, which promotes mental health in Canada through national awareness and anti-stigma campaigns, such as Bell Let’s Talk Day, as well as Bell’s significant funding of community care and access, research and workplace leadership initiatives across the country. To find out more, visit Bell.ca/Causes.

1 Based on total revenue and total customer connections combined.

As a long-standing partner, TELUS is involved in the Kirq project, Quebec’s quantum communication testbed. Thanks to the 17-kilometre fibre-optic infrastructure provided by TELUS, Kirq has a unique environment at its sites in Montreal, Sherbrooke and, Quebec City, enabling it to conduct real-world testing. This strong partnership is essential for transforming innovations into practical applications and strengthening the cybersecurity of tomorrow.

TELUS is a communications technology company and a global leader operating in over 45 countries, with annual operating revenues of over $20 billion and more than 21 million customer connections to its cutting-edge broadband services for consumers, businesses and the public sector. Determined to leverage its technology to generate significant social impact, TELUS is driven by a passion for putting customers and communities first, setting new global standards for customer service excellence and social capitalism. TELUS Health improves the lives of nearly 170 million people in 200 countries through innovative technologies in preventive medicine and wellbeing.

TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods leverages digital technologies and data analytics to optimize the connection between producers and consumers. TELUS Digital specialises in creating value for global customers through its offering of future-focused digital experiences and digital transformations. Guided by the philosophy “We give where we live”, TELUS continuously invests in initiatives that support education, health and community wellbeing. The TELUS scholarship programme, launched in 2023 with the aim of making post-secondary education accessible to young people across the country who wish to continue their studies, has so far awarded over $6 million in scholarships to 2,000 students. Since 2000, TELUS and its current and retired team members have contributed $1.85 billion in cash, in-kind contributions, time and programmes, including 2.5 million days of volunteering, earning the company the title of the world’s most generous.

“Canada is rapidly establishing itself as a global leader in the field of secure quantum communications, and the work carried out on the Kirq testbed demonstrates how a reliable national ecosystem can transform innovation into deployable capability. Just as Europe is making progress in strategic risk reduction by developing reliable digital connectivity, Canada is building its own secure foundations and, like Europe, recognises that no single company or country can provide a reliable and comprehensive technology stack on its own. By bringing together Numana’s platforms, Nokia’s expertise in critical connectivity, and cutting-edge technologies from partners such as Crypto4A and evolutionQ, we are strengthening the resilience of Canada’s and the transatlantic region’s digital infrastructure. With the acceleration of quantum computing and the AI supercycle, the need for reliable, interoperable and quantum-resilient networks has never been greater. Nokia is bringing its innovations in optical, IP and data centre networks, supported by our new innovation campus in Ottawa, to help Canada prepare for the transition to quantum-resilient connectivity and partner with like-minded nations to build the next generation of secure networks,” said Jeffrey Maddox, President of Nokia Canada.

Nokia is a global leader in connectivity for the AI era. Drawing on their expertise in fixed, mobile and transport networks, they are driving connectivity forward to ensure a better future.

“Preparing our national infrastructure for the quantum age is not a theoretical exercise: it is an operational priority. The validation of Blueprint 7 at Kirq demonstrates that sovereign cryptography, secure against quantum attacks, can be seamlessly integrated into existing multi-vendor networks. At Crypto4A, we believe that protecting critical systems requires a certified hardware root of trust, secure key generation and crypto-agility designed for long-term resilience. This important milestone proves that Canada has the capacity to deploy a practical, interoperable infrastructure that is secure against quantum attacks, and to be a global leader in this field. ” – Bruno Couillard, CEO and Co-founder, Crypto4A

Crypto4A is a Canadian cybersecurity company and a pioneer in the field of quantum hardware security modules (HSMs) and cryptographic infrastructure solutions designed to protect the digital world of today and tomorrow. Recognised by businesses, governments and infrastructure providers worldwide, our company specialises in crypto-agility, scalability, portability and post-quantum cryptography.

Toshiba International Corporation (TIC) is a company within the Toshiba America Inc. (TAI) group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, and comprises five divisions: Solution Products, Motors & Drives, Automotive, Power Electronics, and Transmission & Distribution. Based in Houston, Texas, TIC provides application solutions to a wide range of sectors, including finance, telecommunications, healthcare, general industry, oil and gas, utilities, data centres, renewable energy, HVAC, water and wastewater, and mining.

“Honeywell Aerospace Technologies welcomes the opportunity to join forces with Nokia and Numana to advance quantum-resistant communications” – Lisa Napolitano, VP and General Manager at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies .

Honeywell Aerospace Technologies’ products and services are installed on almost all commercial, military and space aircraft, as well as in a number of ground-based systems. The Aerospace Technologies division manufactures engines, cabins, electronics, wireless connectivity systems, mechanical components, power systems and more. Its hardware and software systems make aircraft more fuel-efficient, enable more direct and punctual flights, and help make the skies and airports safer.