Cameras from a sanctioned Chinese company discovered in 50 Quebec cities, ministries, and hospitals
CSIS warns of potential national security threats posed by Hikvision surveillance system.
Surveillance cameras made by a sanctioned Chinese tech company, Hikvision, are reportedly installed in 50 Quebec cities and public facilities. Canada’s intelligence service has issued warnings about the potential national security risks posed by Hikvision’s surveillance systems.
Le Journal de Montréal, in a Dec. 19 report, revealed warnings from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) concerning Hikvision cameras. In a document dated Nov. 2, 2022, obtained by the media outlet, the agency said that Hikvision cameras could potentially be used for espionage activities within Canada. A portion of the document was included in the report by Le Journal de Montréal.
“Chinese company Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co. Ltd poses a threat to Canada’s national security because it and its products could serve as an intelligence collection platform at home and abroad,” the document, titled “CSIS Security Alert,” states in French.
In its security alert, CSIS cited U.S. reports dating back to 2020, noting that the United States Department of Defense warned that Hikvision is owned and operated by the People’s Liberation Army of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
In an annual report to the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Defense Ministry highlighted China’s efforts to enhance its defence capabilities by integrating military and civilian technologies and seeking global leadership in areas like artificial intelligence (AI). The report identified Hikvision as one of several “AI champions” from China that has been exporting AI surveillance technology worldwide.
The Epoch Times reached out to Hikvision for comment but didn’t hear back immediately.
Cameras in Canada
“Around the world, ‘smart city’ systems are using Hikvision’s facial recognition technologies, which can create a platform for the PRC to carry out espionage activities abroad,” the CSIS document stated.
“Additionally, Hikvision’s products have security vulnerabilities that make them extremely vulnerable,” it added. “These security vulnerabilities, combined with gaps in privacy controls, allow the PRC to intercept private data remotely.”
In a separate article published on Dec. 18, Le Journal de Montréal reported that around 50 Quebec organizations have installed Hikvision cameras. This includes the City of Montréal, the Quebec Ministry of Transport, and Hydro-Québec, along with various schools, health and social services centres, and senior homes.
Despite warnings from CSIS, the Quebec Ministry of Transport acquired 4,000 Hikvision cameras last year specifically for video conferences for its officials, as reported by Le Journal de Montréal.
The Epoch Times reached out to the City of Montréal for comment but didn’t hear back immediately.
Sanctions
In March 2023, the U.S. government announced additional sanctions on five Chinese tech companies, all of which were reportedly subsidiaries established by Hikvision, as indicated in a 2019 document from the company. The sanctions were enacted in response to their alleged participation in the repression of the Uyghur minority in China’s Xinjiang region. Media reports suggest that, at the time of the sanction, at least four of these companies were subsidiaries of Hikvision.
The CSIS document has also outlined the connections between Hikvision and Beijing’s repression of Uyghur minorities.
“The company’s security equipment has been used to closely monitor public places and concentration camps in the Chinese region as well as provide in-depth analysis,” CSIS stated in its 2022 security alert. “More than a passive supplier, Hikvision is responsible for organizing, implementing and directly managing surveillance projects in Xinjiang, at least until 2040.”
Hikvision has also sparked concerns for allegedly tracking protesters and adherents of Falun Gong, according to a December 2022 report from Pennsylvania-based video surveillance information company IPVM. The report detailed how the Chinese company has alarms for protestors, Falun Gong practitioners, and religion, alongside offences like homicide, gambling, kidnapping, rape, and drugs. IPVM reported that Hikvision had deleted these references on the company’s website following its inquiry.
Aldgra Fredly and Hannah Ng contributed to this report.
