Marking two years of defending against emerging cyber threats

The University of Calgary’s Canadian Cyber Assessment, Training and Experimentation Centre (CATE) marked its second anniversary on Oct. 17, bringing together law enforcement, industry leaders and researchers to celebrate the growing impact of its national cybersecurity-training hub.

Located in UCalgary’s new Innovation Quarter, the CATE Centre provides a state-of-the-art virtual environment where students, IT professionals, executives and law-enforcement officials can train to defend against real-world cyberattacks. 

The facility offers more than 100 custom-built courses, live-attack simulations, dynamic system emulation and critical-infrastructure exercises designed to mirror complex threat environments.

“Cybersecurity isn’t just a technology issue — it’s a critical part of protecting communities, infrastructure, and national security,” says Dr. Ken Barker, BSc’82, MSc’84, PhD, a professor in the Department of Computer Science and director of the Institute for Security, Privacy and Information Assurance. 

“The CATE Centre is a powerful example of what can happen when universities, industry and law enforcement work together to solve urgent challenges.”

Since launching, the Centre has trained 35 officers from the Calgary Police Service (CPS), Edmonton Police Service and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), with a goal of 84 officers graduating over three years. This hands-on training equips law enforcement with advanced skills to detect, respond to, and prevent cyber threats targeting communities and critical infrastructure.

CPS Deputy Chief Asif Rashid underscores the importance of collaboration in addressing digital threats.

“Cybercrime has become one of the fastest-growing areas of concern for public safety,” says Rashid, BA’01. “The CATE Centre provides our officers with real-world training that strengthens our ability to protect Calgarians and respond to increasingly complex cyber incidents.”

The anniversary event featured demonstrations of the Cyber Range, one of Canada’s most advanced cyber-training environments, as well as reflections from founding partners, including ENFOCOM Cyber and Raytheon Canada.

As the CATE Centre moves into its third year, it will continue expanding its training programs and exploring new research collaborations that reinforce Canada’s cybersecurity readiness.