Canada Launches $92M Quantum Program to Boost Domestic Tech
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The Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, today announced the launch of Phase 1 of the Canadian Quantum Champions Program (CQCP), a $92 million investment designed to strengthen Canada’s quantum technology ecosystem. This initiative, part of a larger $334.3 million five-year commitment from Budget 2025, will support Canadian-headquartered firms Anyon Systems, Nord Quantique, Photonic, and Xanadu Quantum Technologies with up to $23 million each. The CQCP aims to accelerate the development of fault-tolerant, industrial-scale quantum computers and ensure Canada remains a global leader in this transformative field with applications across defence, security, medicine, and computing.
Canadian Quantum Champions Program Launch & Funding The Canadian Quantum Champions Program (CQCP) launched on December 15, 2025, with an initial investment of up to $92 million as part of a larger $334.3 million commitment over five years announced in Budget 2025. This initiative aims to strengthen Canada’s quantum ecosystem by supporting companies developing fault-tolerant, industrial-scale quantum computers. Agreements have been signed with Anyon Systems, Nord Quantique, Photonic, and Xanadu Quantum Technologies, each receiving up to $23 million to accelerate their work. A key component of the CQCP is the Benchmarking Quantum Platform, established by the National Research Council of Canada. This platform will utilize a science-based approach to assess the technical progress of the companies receiving funding. The program focuses on advancing quantum computing to solve real-world problems across various industries, including defence, security, medicine, energy, and computing, while also bolstering Canada’s economic resilience and national sovereignty. The CQCP is projected to significantly impact Canada’s GDP, contributing $17.7 billion and creating over 157,000 jobs by 2045. It also aligns with the forthcoming Defence Industrial Strategy, recognizing the importance of quantum technologies in areas like cryptography and threat analysis. The government’s commitment extends to increasing defence spending to 2% of GDP, solidifying quantum computing as a strategic infrastructure for both economic competitiveness and national security. Strengthening Canada’s Quantum Ecosystem & GDP The Government of Canada has launched Phase 1 of the Canadian Quantum Champions Program (CQCP), investing up to $92 million as part of a larger $334.3 million five-year commitment announced in Budget 2025. This initiative aims to strengthen Canada’s quantum ecosystem by supporting Canadian-headquartered firms – Anyon Systems, Nord Quantique, Photonic, and Xanadu Quantum Technologies – with up to $23 million each. The focus is on advancing the development of fault-tolerant quantum computers capable of solving real-world problems across multiple industries. This program is projected to significantly impact Canada’s GDP, contributing an estimated $17.7 billion and creating over 157,000 jobs by 2045.
The National Research Council of Canada will establish the Benchmarking Quantum Platform to objectively assess the technological progress of the participating companies. Beyond economic benefits, the CQCP is tied to the forthcoming Defence Industrial Strategy, recognizing applications of quantum computing in areas like cryptography and threat analysis. A key goal is to anchor top Canadian quantum talent and companies domestically. The CQCP supports the development of fault-tolerant quantum computers—designed to operate accurately despite errors—and is part of a broader commitment to increase defence spending to 2% of GDP. This investment is intended to establish Canada as a leader in quantum technology, translating early innovation into scalable, sovereign capabilities with long-term value. Canada’s investment in the Canadian Quantum Champions Program is a bold step to anchor our world-class talent and companies here at home, helping drive innovation in a field that will transform our economy and daily lives.
The Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario Quantum Technology Applications in Defence & Security The Canadian Quantum Champions Program (CQCP) represents a $92 million (Phase 1) investment—part of a larger $334.3 million five-year commitment—to bolster Canada’s quantum technology ecosystem. Agreements have been signed with four Canadian-headquartered firms – Anyon Systems, Nord Quantique, Photonic and Xanadu Quantum Technologies – providing up to $23 million each. This funding aims to accelerate development of fault-tolerant quantum computers capable of solving real-world problems and ensuring Canada remains competitive in this rapidly evolving field. This initiative directly supports the forthcoming Defence Industrial Strategy, recognizing the significant defence applications of quantum computing. Specifically, the technology can be applied to areas such as cryptography, advanced materials development, signal processing, and threat analysis via pattern recognition. By focusing on domestic innovation and capability, the CQCP aims to strengthen Canada’s national security and ensure a competitive edge for decades to come, with an anticipated contribution of $17.7 billion to Canada’s GDP and over 157,000 jobs by 2045.
The National Research Council of Canada will establish the Benchmarking Quantum Platform to provide expert assessment of the underlying quantum technologies developed by the funded companies. This platform will employ a science-based, interdisciplinary approach to evaluate technical progress. The program’s overall goal is to translate Canada’s early leadership in quantum computing into scalable, sovereign capability, rather than simply inventing the future, but building it within Canada.
National Research Council Benchmarking & Assessment The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) will establish the Benchmarking Quantum Platform initiative as part of the Canadian Quantum Champions Program (CQCP). This platform will undertake expert assessment of the underlying quantum technologies being developed by participating companies – Anyon Systems, Nord Quantique, Photonic and Xanadu Quantum Technologies – receiving up to $23 million each. The assessment will employ an interdisciplinary, science-based approach, crucial for evaluating progress towards fault-tolerant quantum computers. The CQCP represents a $92 million (Phase 1) investment within a larger $334.3 million five-year commitment announced in Budget 2025. This initiative aims to anchor Canadian quantum companies and talent, driving advancements in fault-tolerant, industrial-scale quantum computers capable of solving real-world problems. The NRC’s benchmarking role is essential to ensure these companies are making demonstrable progress toward creating viable, error-corrected quantum technology. Establishing the Benchmarking Quantum Platform is directly linked to Canada’s broader strategic goals. Quantum technologies are seen as strategic infrastructure for economic competitiveness and national security. This assessment work supports the forthcoming Defence Industrial Strategy, recognizing quantum computing’s potential in areas like cryptography and threat analysis, contributing to a projected $17.7 billion contribution to Canada’s GDP and over 157,000 jobs by 2045. Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/innovation-science-economic-development/news/2025/12/minister-solomon-announces-major-new-quantum-initiative.html Tags: