November marked an important milestone for our Kirq project, Québec’s quantum communication testbed. Between a strategic tour in the United Kingdom, participation in an official mission, and national media coverage in Canada, Kirq continues to accelerate the adoption of quantum communication technologies and strengthen Québec’s position in a rapidly growing sector.
High-level meetings in the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, our team took part in several major events: the official reception of the Canadian Quantum Delegation at Canada House in London, the Photonics, Quantum and Space Showcase in Edinburgh, the UK Quantum Technologies Showcase in London, Optica Bristol alongside partners such as Ciena, Nokia and Toshiba, as well as the activities of the NATO TQC Industry Network, of which we are now officially a member.
As part of the 2025 Canadian Quantum Delegation to the United Kingdom, our CEO, Bernard Duval, participated in strategic discussions focused on quantum-safe networks, cybersecurity, telecom infrastructures and future standardization frameworks. During the official reception at Canada House, Bernard opened his remarks in French, a gesture that was warmly appreciated by all participants. Bernard also had the opportunity to meet with the Québec delegation in London to discuss opportunities for the province in Europe.
These meetings helped highlight the unique role of our Kirq project as an open and neutral experimental platform designed to accelerate the adoption of quantum communication technologies. Through international collaborations, pilot projects and interoperability work, Kirq is helping build the trusted networks of tomorrow.
Kirq on the airwaves: growing interest in quantum communication
Kirq also gained visibility here in Canada. During a panel on quantum technologies organized at the University of Calgary as part of the QKD Challenge, Philippe Barraud, Kirq Project Lead, was invited by Radio-Canada for two segments aimed at the general public.
In the program La Croisée, Philippe explains the basics of quantum technologies and their key role in ultra-secure communications.
In Le Café Show, he explores in more depth the concept of “quantum-safe” networks and how our Kirq project is helping build open, collaborative and resilient infrastructures.
These appearances reflect the growing public interest in quantum communication technologies and demonstrate the importance of making these topics accessible to everyone.
Quantum communication applied to energy to close the month!
To conclude the month, our CEO Bernard Duval spoke at the Decentralised Energy Forum 2025 at the Château Frontenac in Québec City. His presentation, titled “Energizing Canada’s Economic Hubs,” offered a reflection on the strategic role of the energy grid and ultra-secure quantum communications for Canada’s economic growth.
Bernard also highlighted a key issue: the importance of ultra-secure communications to strengthen the resilience and protection of tomorrow’s energy networks, particularly in a decentralized framework.
This intense month confirms Québec’s role as a leading player in the field of quantum communications. And for Kirq, this is only the beginning! Several partnerships are on the way!
