New Research Reveals How Canadian Cities Are Shaping Cybersecurity Talent, Innovation, and National Digital Resilience Through Livability, Education, and Community Strength

The Canadian Cybersecurity Network (CCN), Canada’s largest cybersecurity community, released its second annual CyberTowns 2025 Report, spotlighting the cities leading Canada’s cybersecurity and digital innovation ecosystem. A roadmap for building vibrant cyber communities, the report offers actionable insights for policymakers, investors, tech leaders, and educators advancing Canada’s cybersecurity competitiveness, national security, and digital resilience globally.

Moving beyond traditional rankings, the report provides an in-depth look at how 12 cities—spanning Canada’s coasts—are driving talent development, public-private collaboration, and investment in cyber resilience. Developed with local cyber leaders and grounded in real-world insights, CyberTowns 2025 identifies key factors that make cities like Ottawa, Montreal, Calgary, and Vancouver top destinations for cybersecurity professionals and businesses.

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This year’s edition also includes an interactive layer, featuring a hidden cyber enigma designed to engage and inspire the next generation of cybersecurity talent.

Key Findings:

  • Canada’s Cyber Strength Is Local: From Calgary’s Operational Technology (OT) leadership to Montreal’s hacker-driven innovation, cities are investing in people, place, and purpose—not just policy.
  • Talent Is the Competitive Advantage: Cities like Fredericton, Waterloo, and Victoria are strengthening talent pipelines through co-op programs, micro-credentials, and hands-on experience.
  • Livability Fuels Retention: Affordable, vibrant, and family-friendly communities are helping cities like Victoria and Calgary retain cyber talent—proving that quality of life is a national asset in the global talent race.
  • Challenges Call for National Action: Gaps in mid-senior talent, rising housing costs, AI-driven disruption, capital flight, and credentialing barriers for newcomers pose long-term risks to progress.

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To address these challenges and scale Canada’s city-driven model into a globally competitive ecosystem, the report outlines five national priorities: create a national cyber talent strategy, accelerate cross-city collaboration, expand newcomer integration, support affordability and mobility, and invest in year-round community building.

“Canada doesn’t need to be the biggest or pay the most—we just need to create the most attractive environments to foster and build cybersecurity talent, research, and family life,” said François Guay, Founder and CEO of the Canadian Cybersecurity Network. “CyberTowns 2025 shows exactly how we can do that by building community-powered ecosystems where people want to live, grow, and stay.”

In celebration of the report’s release, CCN partnered with acclaimed Canadian illustrator Cornelia Li—whose work has been featured in The Atlantic and The Walrus—to design a custom cover that captures the creative spirit of cybersecurity communities across the country.

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Source: prnewswire