Long awaited decision comes years after allies made the same call
OTTAWA – Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne (above) today announced the federal government is banning the use of Huawei and ZTE products and services in the country’s telecommunications systems.
“This follows a thorough review by our independent security agencies and in consultation with our closest allies,” Champagne said, in a press release. “Our government will always protect the safety and security of Canadians and will take any actions necessary to safeguard our critical telecommunications infrastructure.”
A policy statement from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) indicates the federal government “has serious concerns about suppliers such as Huawei and ZTE who could be compelled to comply with extrajudicial directions from foreign governments in ways that would conflict with Canadian laws or would be detrimental to Canadian interests.”
The statement specifies as such, Canadian telecommunications service providers will not be allowed to use new 5G or 4G products and services from either Huawei or ZTE. “The government expects that telecommunications service providers will cease procurement of new 4G or 5G equipment and associated services by September 1, 2022,” the statement says.
Existing 5G equipment and managed services from either company will need to be removed or terminated by June 28, 2024, and existing 4G equipment and managed services must be removed or terminated by Dec. 31, 2027.
ISED’s policy statement also indicates the government “intends to impose restrictions on Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) equipment used in fibre-optic networks.”
The measures announced today “will be implemented as part of a new telecommunications security framework,” the statement says.
While Bell and Telus read the years-long silence from the federal government correctly, stayed away from Huawei, and launched their 5G networks in 2020 using other vendors, they did use Huawei equipment in their 4G networks. Champagne indicated during a press conference earlier today companies needing to remove equipment from their 4G networks as a result of this decision will not be compensated for doing so. (Neither Bell nor Telus responded immediately to a request for comment from Cartt.ca.)
Canada is the last member of the “five eyes” intelligence alliance to restrict the use of Huawei technology in its 5G networks. The U.K. implemented such a ban in 2020, joining the remaining members of the alliance – the U.S., Australia and New Zealand – who had already done so.
Asked at the press conference today why it took Canada so much longer to reach the same decision as its allies, Champagne said it is never a race when you are making a decision with an impact on national security.
Screenshot of Champagne taken from CPAC’s feed of the press conference announcing the ban today.
