CIRA survey reveals Canadian organizations are spending more on cybersecurity, but fewer believe it’s enough

More than eight in 10 IT experts are concerned about AI-enabled threats and 91 per cent say Canadian data residency matters

OTTAWA, Ontario, Oct. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- While 76 per cent of Canadian organizations increased their cybersecurity budgets over the past year, only 67 per cent believe their investment is sufficient to keep pace with the threats, according to the 2026 CIRA Cybersecurity Survey.

That confidence is down from 74 per cent in 2025. At the same time, the share of organizations operating with annual IT budgets below $50,000 more than doubled, rising from 11 per cent to 23 per cent.

The findings follow a summer that saw cyberattacks disrupt major institutions across Canada—from a ransomware attack affecting Manitoba’s largest hospital to a targeted breach that knocked systems offline and exposed student and employee data at an Alberta university.

“The survey reflects what we hear from organizations every day: cybersecurity challenges are increasing while resources are becoming harder to secure,” said Jon Ferguson, Vice-president, Cyber & DNS, CIRA. “Security teams are facing more threats, greater complexity and higher expectations, all amid economic and operational uncertainty. That’s why organizations are prioritizing sustainable security capabilities, specialized expertise and Canadian-based cybersecurity operations.”

CIRA surveyed more than 500 cybersecurity decision-makers across Canada to understand how organizations are responding to today’s evolving threat landscape. Findings span the public and private sectors, including municipalities, schools, post-secondary institutions and health care organizations.

Key findings

• Digital sovereignty is becoming a procurement priority: Canadian ownership and data residency have moved from preference toward requirement, with 91 per cent saying it matters that cyber records are stored and processed in Canada and 89 per cent saying it matters that a vendor is Canadian-owned, headquartered or operating here. Nearly 7 in 10 prioritize data sovereignty over price when selecting a cybersecurity vendor.
• Incident response plans are being put to the test: 87 per cent confirm they have an incident response plan, yet ransomware continues to test preparedness. Six in 10 organizations that experienced an incident sought outside help, highlighting the need for specialized response expertise.
• Cyber insurance has become the norm: 82 per cent carry cybersecurity insurance, up from 59 per cent in 2021, while insurers are increasingly asking organizations to demonstrate that appropriate security controls are in place.
  
• AI adoption is still rising alongside concern about AI-enabled threats: Two-thirds of organizations have integrated AI tools into their workflows and operations, while more than eight in 10 cybersecurity decision-makers are concerned about threats from AI tools or AI-enabled attacks.
  
• Cybersecurity capabilities are moving closer to the organization: 67 per cent now manage cybersecurity internally or on-site. Among organizations using SIEM, XDR or SOAR solutions, 63 per cent are building those capabilities in-house, up from 40 per cent last year. The shift points to a growing focus on control and ownership, while specialized external expertise continues to play an important role.
  

Explore these findings and more in the 2026 CIRA Cybersecurity Survey. Read the full report here.

Additional resources

• 2026 CIRA Cybersecurity Survey executive summary and resource centre: https://www.cira.ca/en/resources/documents/cybersecurity/2026-cira-cybersecurity-survey/
• Full survey results (PDF)

About CIRA   

CIRA is the national not-for-profit best known for managing the .CA domain on behalf of all Canadians. As a leader in Canada’s internet ecosystem, CIRA offers a wide range of products, programs and services designed to make the internet a secure and accessible space for all. CIRA represents Canada on both national and international stages to support its goal of building a trusted internet for Canadians by helping shape the future of the internet. 

Media contact
Delphine Avomo Evouna 
613.315.1458 
delphine.avomoevouna@cira.ca