BRAMPTON, ON – Rogers Communications is one of the founding partners of a new national cybersecurity centre in downtown Brampton that will be known as Ryerson University’s Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst.
A not-for-profit organization owned and operated by Toronto’s Ryerson University, the Catalyst will offer specialized training programs for Canada’s growing cybersecurity sector. It will also establish partnerships between researchers and the private sector, create a small business accelerator to grow Canadian cybersecurity firms, plus assist 60 companies to commercialize new products and enter new markets, according to Friday’s announcement.
ISED minister Navdeep Bains pledged to invest $10 million in the venture through FedDev Ontario, a move that he said builds upon the Feds’ digital charter.
“Safeguarding Canadians’ digital privacy and security is essential to ensuring continued trust in the digital world,” he said in a statement. “At the same time, the data-driven economy represents limitless opportunities for innovators to improve the lives of Canadians. By leveraging expertise from our post-secondary institutions, like Ryerson, and drawing from a strong pipeline of Canadian talent, our government is ensuring that our workers have the right skills to seize the opportunities of this new economy and help protect Canadians’ privacy and security online.”
The Royal Bank of Canada and the City of Brampton will each contribute $5 million, and Rogers has committed $10 million earmarked for programs that educate small business leaders about cyber threats and how to address them, train young Canadians for jobs in the cybersecurity field, and provide continual learning for Rogers' technology team.
"We are on the cusp of major technological change and we need to invest in infrastructure and people for Canada to lead in the digital economy,” added Rogers president and CEO Joe Natale (pictured at podium). “Through this partnership we will build the skills and talent for the connected future."
