Calgary to house quantum defence hub to develop tech for armed forces
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CALGARY – Canada’s defence minister says the University of Calgary will be home to a new quantum research hub to bolster the country’s defence sector.
The hub, led by the university, is meant to bring together academics, industry leaders and government to work on defence technology.
Speaking at the University of Calgary on Thursday, federal Defence Minister David McGuinty said he believes quantum technologies will change how nations defend themselves.
“They will redefine navigation when GPS is denied, communications when networks are contested, sensing when adversaries seek to remain invisible, and computing at speeds that will transform what is possible across defense, security, and industry,” he said.
Ottawa is expected to spend $20.3 million over two years for a University of Calgary-led group to establish the hub, called the Quantum Defence Innovation Secure Hub.
That hub will be used to research and develop quantum tech to feed the Canadian Armed Forces’ national defence needs.
McGuinty said the military is evolving and Canada has to move with it.
“Critical minerals have become instruments of geopolitical influence, data has become infrastructure, artificial intelligence is transforming military capability. Quantum technologies will transform it yet again.”
The university already runs what’s called Quantum City, which focuses on expanding the development of quantum technology, and it will house the new hub.
“We don’t start with a technology looking for a problem to solve, we start with the challenge and ask ourselves, ‘Can quantum technology be the best solution?'” said Dr. Megan Lee, the managing director of Quantum City.
When asked about how the hub will deliver for the Canadian Armed Forces, Lee was careful not to overshare.
She said the hub would take direction from its defence partners about the military’s needs.
Calgary’s to-be quantum research addition is the third such hub announced by the federal government, with a Halifax hub focusing on maritime security and another in Montreal looking at drone technology.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2026.