In a significant development, the Canadian government has ordered Chinese video surveillance camera-making company Hikvision to halt all operations in the country and close its Canadian business over national security concerns.
Canada鈥檚 Industry Minister, Melanie Joly, said the government has determined that Hikvision Canada鈥檚 continued operations would be detrimental to Canada鈥檚 national security. 鈥楩ollowing a National Security Review under the Investment Canada Act, the Government of Canada has ordered Hikvision Canada Inc. to cease all operations in Canada and close its Canadian business,鈥 she said in a statement.
Joly said this determination was a result of a multi-step review that assessed information and evidence provided by Canada鈥檚 security and intelligence community. She also said Canada was prohibiting the purchase or use of Hikvision products in government departments, agencies and crown corporations.
My statement on Hikvision Canada Inc. following a national security review under the Investment Canada Act: pic.twitter.com/Gvl6aWRxyQ
鈥 M茅lanie Joly (@melaniejoly) June 28, 2025
鈥淭he scope of this National Security Review under the Investment Canada Act does not extend to Hikvision鈥檚 affiliate operations outside of Canada,鈥 she said, while encouraging Canadians to take note of this decision and make their own decisions accordingly.
鈥淭he Government of Canada is further conducting a review of existing properties to ensure that legacy Hikvision products are not used going forward. The Government of Canada welcomes foreign investment 鈥 but will never compromise on Canada鈥檚 national security,鈥 she added.
Hikvision, also known as Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co, has faced numerous sanctions and restrictions by Canada鈥檚 neighbour, the United States, over the past five and a half years for the firm鈥檚 dealings and the use of its equipment in China鈥檚 Xinjiang region, where rights groups have documented abuses against the Uyghur population and other Muslim communities.
Hikvision鈥檚 Canadian and US operations, the parent company and China鈥檚 foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The company, which calls itself the world鈥檚 biggest maker of video surveillance equipment, said last year it had exited contracts in Xinjiang through five subsidiaries that were added to a US trade black list in 2023.
Last year, the Wall Street Journal reported that Canada was reviewing an application to impose sanctions on four Chinese surveillance-gear companies, including Hikvision, over their alleged role in human-rights violations in Xinjiang.
(with agency inputs)