The quantum clock is running far faster than Canada’s plans

Our federal government is already preparing for when quantum computers are ready for scaling, and able to crack the cryptography that protects Canada’s assets and secrets. But their timelines for non-classified departments generally assume a transition extending toward 2035.

The inside of an IBM Quantum System One computing system, pictured in 2020. The point at which a quantum computer can break today’s widely used public-key cryptography is often referred to as Q Day. When that happens, much of the cryptographic infrastructure we have to protect everything we rely on will become vulnerable, writes Bruno Couillard. Image courtesy of IBM

Opinion

BY BRUNO COUILLARD

October 19, 2026

RBC just hired its first director of quantum strategy to embrace the opportunities quantum technologies will offer, and to prepare for the moment when cyberattacks come from quantum computers.

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