High-throughput and Secure Networks Challenge Program

The High-throughput and Secure Networks Challenge Program was an NRC Challenge stream under CSTIP focused on high-speed, secure communications for Canada’s rural and remote communities. It was built around the idea of “1 Gbps everywhere” and supported work on next-generation broadband, optical satellite communications, photonics for fibre and fixed wireless access, and quantum communications. The call is now closed. It ran on an annual basis, with funding ranging from $100,000 to $1.5 million per project depending on stream and project profile, and it required projects to finish with all deliverables and spending completed by March 31, 2026. Eligible teams included academic institutions, research institutions, not-for-profit research organisations, Indigenous governments, and Canadian SMEs, and each project needed an NRC collaborator and an expression of interest before the full proposal stage. The strongest projects were those with a clear route to technology transfer and commercialisation, an industrial partner that could help drive development, and a well-scoped 2-year plan that matched the stream’s readiness level. Because the program has wound down, its public value now sits in the completed portfolio of network, satellite, and quantum communications work rather than in any open application route.

No upcoming rounds verified. Cadence: Annual.