Canada has launched the Canadian Quantum Champions Program, or CQCP, a major government initiative committing up to $92 million in its initial phase.
What Is the Canadian Quantum Champions Program?
The initiative, announced by Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation Evan Solomon, is part of a $334.3 million, five-year plan outlined in Budget 2025, according to a press release issued Monday by the Canadian government. It aims to advance Canada’s quantum ecosystem and retain top talent in the country to advance fault-tolerant, industrial-scale quantum computing capabilities that support national sovereignty and economic resilience. The program, which follows the country’s commitment to boost defense spending to 2 percent of the gross domestic product, is expected to impact sectors including defense, security, medicine, energy and computing.
“By strengthening our quantum ecosystem, we are building long-term economic resilience while ensuring Canada’s leadership in science and technology benefits all Canadians,” said Solomon.
Which Companies Are Participating in the CQCP?
Under Phase 1, the government has awarded agreements of up to $23 million each to Canadian companies Anyon Systems, Nord Quantique, Photonic and Xanadu Quantum Technologies. They are tasked with advancing the development of fault-tolerant quantum computers with industrial applications.