DGC INITIATIVES

Digital sovereignty and economic security

Help Canadian organizations understand, govern and reduce dependencies that can shift control over data, operations and strategic capability.

CURRENT PHASE

Implementation and adoption

Each mission moves from executive dialogue into coordinated work, standards, implementation or verification as the opportunity matures.

MISSION AT A GLANCE

Make sovereignty a practical governance discipline for technology, infrastructure, data and procurement decisions.

THE PROBLEM

Hidden dependencies

Cloud, AI, data and platform choices can expose Canadian organizations to foreign laws, operational dependencies and loss of decision-making control.

DGC'S ROLE

Standards and executive coordination

DGC connects executive discussion, standards, implementation guidance and assurance so organizations can make informed choices.

NEXT STEP

Apply the standard

The next opportunity is to apply CAN/DGSI 100-8, document implementation lessons and develop sector-specific guidance and assurance.

THE PROBLEM

Sovereignty is determined by operating choices, not by data location alone

Digital sovereignty cuts across cloud infrastructure, artificial intelligence, distributed technologies, data flows and critical systems.

Organizations need to understand who can access, operate, alter or withdraw the technologies and data on which they depend, including the effects of contracts, supply chains and foreign legal obligations.

  • Unclear authority and control across technology supply chains
  • Exposure to laws and operational decisions outside Canada
  • Limited visibility into data lineage, access and transfer points
  • Procurement decisions that do not account for strategic dependencies
DGC'S ROLE

Connect sovereignty policy to operational requirements

DGC provides a place to define the challenge, develop common requirements and support practical implementation.

CONVENE

Frame the strategic choices

Bring public and private executives together to examine sovereignty, economic security, infrastructure and market implications.

COORDINATE

Connect policy and procurement

Link governance objectives with procurement, contracting, architecture, risk and investment decisions.

CODIFY

Maintain a Canadian standard

Develop and update CAN/DGSI 100-8 as a practical method for identifying assets, threats, foreign-jurisdiction risks and mitigation options.

CONFIRM

Build implementation confidence

Develop guidance, assessments and assurance approaches that help organizations demonstrate how sovereignty obligations are managed.

PARTICIPATING SECTORS

A cross-sector mission

Sovereignty decisions affect both technology operators and the organizations that depend on them.

Government and procurement

Public institutions responsible for policy, procurement, digital services, national security and critical infrastructure.

Cloud and digital infrastructure

Cloud providers, data centres, network operators and organizations that design or operate shared infrastructure.

Regulated and critical sectors

Finance, energy, telecommunications, transportation, health, defence and other strategically important sectors.

Technology and AI

Developers, integrators and users of AI, software, data platforms, distributed systems and emerging technologies.

Legal and risk

Legal, privacy, cybersecurity, procurement and enterprise-risk leaders responsible for contracts and control boundaries.

Standards and assurance

Standards developers, auditors, assessors and conformity assessment bodies supporting implementation.

PROGRESS

A practical standard is now available

DGC and DGSI have moved the issue from general debate toward a structured implementation method.

STANDARD

CAN/DGSI 100-8:2026

The second edition provides requirements and guidance for classifying digital assets, developing threat models, identifying jurisdictional risks and selecting mitigation options.

EXECUTIVE DIALOGUE

Economic statecraft

Executive Forum discussions connected digital sovereignty with standards, infrastructure, intellectual property, artificial intelligence and long-term competitiveness.

IMPLEMENTATION

From requirements to practice

The next phase is to support organizations applying the standard across procurement, architecture, contracting and risk management.

NEXT OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE

Contribute to implementation and sector guidance

Organizations can apply the standard, share implementation lessons, contribute sector-specific scenarios and participate in the development of guidance, assessment methods and verification pathways.

WHO SHOULD ENGAGE

Organizations making consequential technology and infrastructure decisions

This mission is relevant to public procurement, regulated industries, critical infrastructure, cloud and AI providers, legal and risk teams, standards experts and assurance bodies.

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