Upcoming Events

Operation: Defend the North 2025 (Toronto)

Operation Defend the North 2025 – Toronto

Toronto’s transit lifeline grinds to a halt.

In this simulation, a major public transit network recently modernized under a unified digital infrastructure, becomes the epicentre of a nationwide crisis. When data corruption and targeted misinformation begin spreading through the system, commuters are stranded, signals fail, and the public turns to unreliable online sources for answers.

Operation: Defend the North – Toronto is the climax of Canada’s largest cybersecurity readiness event. Join top executives, cyber leaders, and public-sector stakeholders in a high-pressure, live-action tabletop simulation where decision-making is tested, coordination is critical, and every second counts.

This is where Canada makes its stand.

Will you be ready to lead the response?

This event is online and in-person.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

Event Details
Alex Dow
Chief Innovations Officer
Mirai Security
Chief Innovations Officer at Mirai Security
Ali Abbas Hirji
Executive Director
Canadian Centre for Cyber Defence
Executive Director at Canadian Centre for Cyber Defence
Ali Shahidi
Director, Cybersecurity and IT Risk
Infrastructure Ontario
Director, Cybersecurity and IT Risk at Infrastructure Ontario
Amit Chopra
Head of Information Systems / CIO
Lakefield College School
Head of Information Systems / CIO at Lakefield College School
Bob Gordon
Strategic Advisor
Canadian Cyber Threat Exchange
Strategic Advisor at Canadian Cyber Threat Exchange
Daniel Pinsky
CSO
CDW Canada
CSO at CDW Canada
Dhanush Liyanage
Director, Cyber Security Defence & Resilience
Ontario Health
Director, Cyber Security Defence & Resilience at Ontario Health
Edgard Rodriguez
Director Cyber Threat Intelligence & Research
Rogers
Director Cyber Threat Intelligence & Research at Rogers
Emerson Rajaram
CISO & Corporate Director of Technology
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
CISO & Corporate Director of Technology at Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
Ferris Adi
CISO
Trans Americas Fiber System
CISO at Trans Americas Fiber System
George Al-Koura
CISO
Ruby
CISO at Ruby
Gurvinder Gill
CISO
Toronto Parking Authority
CISO at Toronto Parking Authority
James Cairns
CISO
Bow Valley College
CISO at Bow Valley College
Jason Leake
Manager, Enterprise Information Security
Toyota
Manager, Enterprise Information Security at Toyota
Jassi Kaur
CIO & CISO
Toronto Film School & Yorkville University
CIO & CISO at Toronto Film School & Yorkville University
John Pinard
VP, IT Operations, Infrastructure & Cybersecurity
DUCA Financial
VP, IT Operations, Infrastructure & Cybersecurity at DUCA Financial
Kelley Irwin
Strategic Advisor, Board Director
ProDemnity Insurance Company
Strategic Advisor, Board Director at ProDemnity Insurance Company
Kim Schreader
Director, Cybersecurity Professional Services
Telus
Director, Cybersecurity Professional Services at TELUS
Kris E
RCMP
RCMP
Kristi Honey
Chief Administrative Officer
Township of Uxbridge
Chief Administrative Officer at Township of Uxbridge
Lionel Akagah
Director, Cybersecurity
FortlyAi
Director, Cybersecurity at FortlyAi
Manas Khanna
Senior Director of Engineering
Veryon
Senior Director of Engineering at Veryon
Michael Hartrick
Manager, Information Technology Services
Town of Midland
Manager, Information Technology Services at Town of Midland
Mirza Khurram Azeem Baig
Director, Cyber Security
Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC)
Director, Cyber Security at MPAC
Nilesh Shastri
CISO
Canadian Institute of Health Information
CISO at Canadian Institute of Health Information
Octavia Howell
VP, CISO
Equifax Canada
VP, CISO at Equifax Canada
Osman Saleem
Managing Director & Principal Consultant
Actimeta
Managing Director & Principal Consultant at Actimeta
Rhonda Bunn
CAO
Town of Midland
CAO at Town of Midland
Shakeel Sagarwala
CISO
Canadian Tire Bank
CISO at Canadian Tire Bank
Sherry Rumbolt
GC Senior Cybersecurity Strategist
Government of Canada
GC Senior Cybersecurity Strategist at Government of Canada
Shilpa Dahiya
Senior Director Cybersecurity
CAAT Pension Plan
Senior Director Cybersecurity at CAAT Pension Plan
Taher Afridi
CISO
Marcura
CISO at Marcura
Teodor Pana
Cyber Security Director
SE Health
Cyber Security Director at SE Health
Tommaso Lorenzo
CISO
Niagara Health
CISO at Niagara Health
Vaughn Hazen
CISO
CN Rail
CISO at CN Rail
Vinay Puri
Senior Cybersecurity Executive Advisor
Laurentian Bank
Senior Cybersecurity Executive Advisor at Laurentian Bank
Vivek Khindria
President and Principal Consultant
Risk Embrace Inc
President and Principal Consultant at Risk Embrace Inc
Vivienne Suen
Distinguished Full Stack Architect
TD Bank
Distinguished Full Stack Architect at TD Bank
Yusuf Patel
Senior Director, Security Operations Centre
Rogers Communications
Senior Director, Security Operations Centre at Rogers Communications
  • Participants check in and form interdisciplinary teams. Event facilitators will guide registrants to color-coded tables representing municipal, healthcare, and financial roles. Breakfast networking includes introductions from industry partners and government observers.

  • Recharge with a tasty snack break!

  • Live technology demos from SOC, MDR, and AI defense vendors. Featuring product walk-throughs, case studies, and tabletop intelligence tips from national cybersecurity experts.

  • Recharge with a tasty snack break!

  • Take a moment to stretch and breathe deep!

Operation: Defend The North – A Canadian Cybersecurity Readiness Exercise is an immersive event designed to simulate a fictitious cyber attack against Canada’s critical sectors — Energy, Finance & Banking, Healthcare, Government Services, and Telecommunications. Together, we navigate a simulated cyber crisis via an interactive online tabletop event, accessible virtually from anywhere, uniting industry leaders, cybersecurity professionals, policymakers, and stakeholders in fortifying our defenses.

Yes! The event is streamed online. You can buy virtual tickets.

Yes! Network with exhibitors and industry experts.

Purchase your ticket on siberx.org and bring photo ID for check-in at the event.

All major credit cards are accepted.

Harassment of any kind will not be tolerated. We are committed to a harassment-free experience for everyone. Violators may be removed from the event without a refund.

Click the Tickets tab to purchase.

Tickets are non-refundable/non-cancellable. To reassign or upgrade, email [email protected].

Maybe—based on availability.

Possibly, but tickets are limited and not guaranteed on event day.

Canada Event Centre, 300 Water St, Whitby, ON L1N 9B6

No. Parking is available at an additional cost.

Service and support animals are welcome.

Yes. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks are included in your in-person ticket. Add dietary restrictions during registration for accommodation.

For both in-person and virtual sessions, siberX monitors attendance and reports on CPE credits.

In-person sessions: Attendees seeking CPE credits must register at the conference and complete checkout in person.

Virtual events: Attendees seeking CPE credits must remain within their session for the allocated duration and not proceed to other tabs for a continuous calculation.

In accordance with Standard Number 16 of the Statement on Standards for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Programs (Standards), our conference activities are measured by actual program length, with one 50-minute period equal to one CPE credit.

For segments that are less than 50 minutes, the sum of the segments would be considered one total program. For example, five 30-minute presentations would equal 150 minutes and would be counted as three CPE credits.

An email will be sent out post-conference along with the CPE form. Please complete the form.

Photos
Operation Defend the North Vancouver (18)
Operation Defend the North Vancouver (17)
Operation Defend the North Vancouver (16)
Operation Defend the North Vancouver (15)
Operation Defend the North Vancouver (14)
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Operation Defend the North Vancouver (12)
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Operation Defend the North Vancouver (9)
Operation Defend the North Vancouver (8)
Operation Defend the North Vancouver (7)
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Operation Defend the North Vancouver (5)
Operation Defend the North Vancouver (4)
Operation Defend the North Vancouver (3)
Operation Defend the North Vancouver (2)
Operation Defend the North Vancouver (1)
Event Details
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