20 July 2015
Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC), in partnership with Public Safety Canada, will support two innovative projects to develop enhanced tools and knowledge for Canada’s information technology community. These projects are part of an overall investment of approximately $12 million in 24 projects under the Canadian Safety and Security Program (CSSP).
Note that specific funding amounts for each approved project will be formalized following the successful completion of negotiations between project proponents and the Government of Canada.
The Government of Saskatchewan (Regina, Saskatchewan) will lead an effort to document stakeholders’ wireless data application requirements to deliver interoperable services on a public safety broadband network.
- Partners: Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance; Canadian Interoperability Technology Interest Group; Saskatchewan Interoperability Interest Group; University of Regina, Bridging Research and Interoperability Centre.
Natural Resources Canada and Linchpin Labs Inc. (Ottawa, Ontario) will lead the development of a system, which will be deployed at the National Energy Infrastructure Test Centre (NEITC) to enhance cyber training for engineers and IT security professionals of the Energy and Utilities Sector. This training will assist the industrial control sector in becoming more resilient, robust and capable to defend against cyber-attacks.
CSSP funding supports projects and activities that respond to Canadian public safety and security priorities, and also addresses capability gaps. These gaps are identified in consultation with science and technology (S&T) experts, and safety and security communities of practice, representing policy, operational and intelligence experts.
Ultimately, the goal of the program’s investments is to ensure that Canadians and their institutions have a greater resilience to global and domestic public safety and security threats. These efforts are guided by a set of long-term outcomes:
- Canada’s economic vibrancy and sovereign integrity is maintained through resilient critical infrastructure and the efficient flow of people, goods, and services across its borders and ports of entry;
- A robust, connected and multi-jurisdictional security/intelligence and national emergency management system is in place to provide an effective full-spectrum preventive, protective, responsive and adaptive capability of people, responders and systems from all hazards; and,
- The public is confident that public security threats are being identified, assessed and addressed in a way that keeps pace with the evolving natures of threats, reflects Canadian values, and maintains the integrity of both the criminal justice and national security systems.
Established in 2012, the CSSP invests in science and technology (S&T) projects that strengthen Canada’s ability to anticipate, prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from natural disasters, serious accidents, crime and terrorism. This is achieved through the convergence of S&T with policy, operations and intelligence.
The CSSP is led by DRDC’s Centre for Security Science (DRDC CSS), in partnership with Public Safety Canada, and supports academic, first responders, federal, provincial or municipal government-led projects in collaboration with response and emergency management organizations, non-governmental agencies, industry and academia.
Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) is the national leader in defence and security S&T. As an agency of Canada’s Department of National Defence (DND), DRDC provides DND, the Canadian Armed Forces and other government departments as well as the public safety and security communities with the knowledge and technology advantage needed to defend and protect Canada’s interests at home and abroad.
Public Safety’s mandate is to keep Canadians safe from a range of risks such as natural disasters, crime and terrorism. Public Safety works with all levels of government, first responders, community groups, the private sector, non-government organizations and other nations on national security, border strategies, countering crime, emergency management and other safety and security initiatives.
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