Vancouver is a city known for its booming tech sector and a high concentration of innovative companies. It’s home to IT businesses, creative agencies, and research centres that serve clients worldwide. Unfortunately, this digital progress has a dark side: the rise of cybercrime. In today’s online environment, phishing emails, hacked accounts, fraudulent websites, and attacks on city systems are becoming all too common. The risk affects everyone, from small café owners and online retailers to international corporations and even municipal institutions. While the threat might seem distant, the consequences of an attack are often devastating, leading to serious financial and reputational damage. More at vancouver-future.
Billions of cybercrime attempts are recorded in Canada each year, and Vancouver is no exception to this growing problem. In response, national and local programs have been launched to bolster cybersecurity. Here, we’ll explore the scale of the issue, the key organizations fighting back, modern defence methods, and tips for staying safe online.
Cybercrime in Canada and Vancouver
In the first six months of 2025 alone, over 12 billion cyberattacks were recorded in Canada. This means that virtually everyone in the country has become a potential target—from those who just use the internet to post a photo of their morning coffee to those running a business. No one is immune.
Local businesses are the most frequent victims, which increases the risk of attacks on critical infrastructure like medical facilities or power grids. One of the biggest threats today is the rise of schemes like Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS). This is a business model where cybercriminals don’t create ransomware themselves but instead rent ready-made tools from other malware developers. Rather than writing complex code or inventing new attack methods, they simply purchase or subscribe to a pre-packaged scheme to launch attacks against companies or individuals.
However, Canada is actively working to combat this trend. The government developed the National Cyber Threat Assessment 2025-2026 (NCTA 2025–2026), where experts detail the full spectrum of threats, from online fraud to state-sponsored cyber espionage. In short, the assessment concludes that the most significant threats come from state-sponsored hackers, particularly from countries like China and Russia, who have the capability to target critical infrastructure, including energy, transportation, and healthcare systems.
How Vancouverites Are Fighting Back
In Vancouver, the fight against cybercrime is well-structured. At the federal level, the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security plays a pivotal role.
This is the main government hub that issues advice, warnings, and recommendations for citizens, businesses, and government agencies. Its experts track trends, analyze threats, and publish all the necessary instructions on how to act when faced with suspicious online activity.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is also doing excellent work. Their Cybercrime Program is responsible for investigating serious cybercrimes, ranging from financial fraud to attacks on critical infrastructure. A key component of this program is the National Cybercrime Coordination Centre (NC3). It helps coordinate efforts between provincial, federal, and international bodies, ensuring that criminals can be tracked down even outside of Canada.
At the local level, the Vancouver Police Department runs its own initiatives to prevent cybercrime. Officers actively conduct public awareness campaigns, educating residents on the basics of online safety and teaching them how to recognize phishing emails or scam calls. Furthermore, they urge people to report incidents immediately to help prevent further attacks.
Protection for Businesses and Citizens
For Vancouverites, cybersecurity isn’t just a government issue; it’s a daily responsibility for every citizen and business owner. While large corporations often have their own security departments, small and medium-sized businesses remain vulnerable to cyber threats. That’s why it’s crucial to know how to protect yourself and your business from digital dangers.
A great place to start is the Get Cyber Safe campaign. This is a national initiative by the Government of Canada aimed at raising public awareness about cybersecurity. It mainly provides simple tips for protecting personal data, passwords, devices, and online accounts. The campaign also covers various aspects of safety, from protecting children online to advice for business owners. For instance, the campaign’s website offers tools to assess the security level of your accounts and provides tips on avoiding phishing attacks and online scams.
But how can business owners in Vancouver protect themselves? Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often don’t have large budgets for cybersecurity, but there are still steps they can take. It’s important to conduct regular IT audits to identify vulnerabilities in systems and software promptly. It’s also recommended to occasionally hire a cybersecurity professional or consult with specialists who can assist in the event of a cyber incident.
If your business becomes a victim of cybercrime, it’s vital to report it to the local police. The Vancouver Police Department provides information and resources to help entrepreneurs deal with cyber threats. Consider this: SMEs make up a staggering 98% of all businesses in Canada. However, according to a survey, 61% of these businesses have experienced a cyber incident, yet 74% of them never reported it. This highlights the urgent need for greater awareness and the implementation of security measures among small businesses.
Today, organizations like the British Columbia Chamber of Commerce are actively working to improve cybersecurity among their member companies. The team provides resources and support for small and medium-sized businesses to help them protect their data and systems from cyber threats. However, it’s important to remember that defence against cybercriminals is a shared responsibility.
Future Outlook and Emerging Challenges
Cybercrime is evolving just as quickly as technology itself. Artificial intelligence, the development of deepfakes, and more sophisticated attack methods are giving criminals new tools for fraud. They can now create a voice that perfectly mimics yours or a video that looks entirely real. This makes the job of cybersecurity professionals increasingly complex.
The 2024 budget allocated over **$917 million CAD** to strengthen cyber operations. Part of these funds will go towards creating special cyber teams and developing modern infrastructure. The goal is simple: to detect threats faster and neutralize them more effectively.
At the provincial level, British Columbia has the BC Cybersecurity Alerts program. It sends notifications to citizens and organizations about new threats and dangerous attacks. The advantage is that the information arrives almost instantly, which helps significantly in minimizing risks. But even with new technologies and multi-million-dollar budgets, the core principle remains the same: security depends on constant monitoring and education. The digital world changes daily, and being prepared for the unexpected is the best defence any internet user can have.