Quantum Advisory Council
Participants
Co-chairs
- Raymond Laflamme
- Stephanie Simmons
Members
- Ian D'Souza
- Andrew Fursman
- David Gosset
- Martin Laforest
- Lindsay Leblanc
- Atefeh Mashatan
- Christian Weedbrook
Guests
- Lisa Lambert, CEO, Quantum Industry Canada
Welcome and housekeeping
The co-chairs welcomed members to the meeting, including one guest: Lisa Lambert, CEO of Quantum Industry Canada. No conflicts of interest were identified. The May 2024 meeting summary was adopted, pending any emailed changes to the National Quantum Strategy (NQS) Secretariat.
Advice on future priorities
The co-chairs invited members to comment on the draft Budget recommendations and share how Canada should best respond to two recent funding developments in the defence sector: the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)'s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI); and the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF). For example, Canada could dedicate some of its federal funding towards supporting Canadian companies as they navigate QBI's rigorous 3-stage process. While some members emphasized quantum's dual-use character to drive investment, other members highlighted that defence sector funding carries its own public perception risks. Members added that clear messaging and the use of arms-length agencies to deliver funding could help assuage potential investors concerns. While there is increasing participation in NATO quantum activities by Canadian firms and researchers, there are still opportunities to become more engaged in NATO, particularly through NATO's Transatlantic Quantum Community, NATO's DIANA program and the NIF. This could potentially assist with Canada's 2% spending targets. Others noted that participation in defense related projects can bring challenges.
Other members were supportive of funding to promote post-quantum cryptography (PQC) adoption and ensure that Canada's essential infrastructure (e.g. energy, banking) is ready for the PQC transition. Until Canada implements incentives (e.g. tax breaks) or a regulatory mechanism (e.g. certification, legislative compliance) to guide compliance with National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, members were skeptical that major Canadian institutions will invest early to secure their networks. For example, members raised the prospect of a certification program paired with procurement mechanisms: products could be certified that they meet PQC-standards, and this certification could be a necessary procurement criterion for government and regulated industries starting in the near future. Members raised that national security will also depend on developing dependable supply chains.
There was agreement among members that the Government of Canada should develop internal expertise and help clarify who will take the lead on regulating PQC. This could be advanced by Academic/Industry/Government internships. There was also discussion that Government of Canada should cultivate a set of PQC experts in addition to quantum computing and communications leaders.
Future funding of the ecosystem through hubs was debated. While some participants were concerned that hubs may unintentionally duplicate efforts or often constrain members of the quantum community into forced relationships, others praised the model's ability to ensure that researchers, who might otherwise not interact with the broader Canadian quantum ecosystem (such a scientists working in foreign companies) build relationships with local players. There was also a sense that identifying specific hubs as leads on certain quantum technologies or themes would not be helpful.
Canada and international collaborations
Member opinion generally did not support federal government support to incent a greater presence of foreign multinationals in Canada. Canadian researchers at such companies historically had limited interaction with the broader quantum community and risk leaving the country entirely. Others did point out that multinationals should have a role, but that they should not impede Canada's broader aspirations in the quantum space. Members also raised the backdrop of rising protectionism and cautioned that we can't divide and conquer ourselves. Members also discussed that Canadian policies and programs, among other factors, do not seem to promote the creation of the next Google in Canada and whether anything can be done to address this pattern.
Next steps
The NQS Secretariat will finalize the mission roadmaps and welcomes continued input from members and the community.
The next meeting will be held virtually in late fall 2024. Potential agenda items include finalizing council advice and next steps for the Council as member appointment terms lapse. Other topics could include a presentation from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) on social science research and quantum, a discussion on immigration opportunities, and the potential for policy/non-technical roadmaps.