Jan. 15, 2026 –
By Gary Hilson, EE Times
Canada’s photonics sector is on the cusp of a renaissance as the technology steps up as a key enabler for AI data centers and quantum computing.
Much like its quantum computing sector, which has a strong foundation to become competitive at a global level, Canada’s photonics foundation is solid, while also being at risk of losing ground without the right investments.
Canada’s history in photonics dates back to the Nortel era—the long defunct Canadian telecom giant provided the majority of photonics devices to the world, and the country is now home to hundreds of photonics companies designing and developing photonic products even though the integrated silicon photonics components are typically built elsewhere.