Canadian federal agencies fail to confirm removal of Hikvision cameras

Several Canadian federal agencies have failed to confirm whether they have complied with a government order to remove surveillance equipment manufactured by Hikvision. Despite a directive from Industry Minister Mélanie Joly issued over a year ago to remove the Chinese-owned company’s gear due to national security and espionage concerns, multiple organizations remain silent on their compliance status.

The National Research Council and the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority confirmed they continue to use Hikvision cameras. Other major entities, including the Canadian Space Agency, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), Environment and Climate Change Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and Parks Canada, declined to state if the equipment has been removed.

The ban follows concerns that Hikvision, a global leader in surveillance technology partly owned by the Chinese government, poses an unacceptable risk of mass surveillance and espionage. While some departments like Justice Canada and Veterans Affairs Canada reported compliance, the refusal of agencies handling sensitive personal data or classified research to provide clarity has drawn criticism from security analysts.