Several Canadian federal agencies reported that they have purchased or used surveillance cameras manufactured by Hangzhou Hikvision, a state-owned Chinese company banned by the U.S. government due to security risks.
Following a request for information from Quebec municipal councilor René Villemure, it was revealed that 24 federal agencies, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), had purchased Hikvision cameras.
The RCMP disclosed that they have indeed acquired Hikvision cameras but have not yet put them into use. They stated, “The headquarters’ Technical Investigative Services Section, as well as the divisions in Yukon and Alberta, purchased cameras for testing purposes but ultimately decided not to use them.”
Various departments and Crown corporations in Canada, such as the Canadian Space Agency, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the Canadian Coast Guard, as well as the Health, Immigration, and Environment ministries, acknowledged purchasing Hikvision cameras but expressed intentions to replace them by the end of 2024.
The federal infrastructure sector and some other departments admitted that they discovered their use of Hikvision cameras only after Councilor Villemure’s information request. They affirmed that steps are being taken to replace their surveillance systems.
The Bank of Canada also confirmed that it utilizes Hikvision systems, albeit only in “non-public” areas. The Bank noted that these cameras were supplied by third-party vendors as part of outsourced services.
In November 2022, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a ban on Hikvision cameras and blacklisted the company, citing national security threats associated with the blacklisted entities and their technology. The UK likewise barred the use of Hikvision cameras in the same month.
In Canada, in December of last year, Hikvision cameras were found in 50 cities and public institutions in Quebec. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) had issued warnings about Hikvision cameras, stating that they could be used for espionage purposes.
Apart from security concerns, some subsidiaries of Hikvision have faced U.S. sanctions for their alleged involvement in the repression of minority groups in Xinjiang.