Why We’re Building Counter-Surveillance Technology in Canada
Every country has surveillance technology companies. Very few have counter-surveillance technology companies. We’re building one in Canada, and the choice of location is deliberate.
The Canadian advantage
No ITAR restrictions on detection. Counter-surveillance detection (passive RF monitoring, camera mapping, tracker scanning) is fundamentally defensive technology. It doesn’t intercept communications, it doesn’t jam signals, it doesn’t intrude on systems. This means it falls outside ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) restrictions that constrain US-based defence companies. Canadian counter-surveillance tools can be freely exported to NATO allies without State Department approval.
SR&ED tax credits. Canada’s Scientific Research and Experimental Development program offers a 35% federal investment tax credit on qualifying R&D expenditures, plus provincial credits (10% in British Columbia). For a technology company doing genuine R&D, this effectively subsidizes a third of the research cost.
IRAP and defence funding. The National Research Council’s Industrial Research Assistance Program provides direct R&D funding for technology SMEs. The new Defence Industry Assist stream ($241M) specifically targets dual-use defence technology. Programs like IDEaS provide up to $6.75M per project for innovative defence solutions.
NATO membership. Canada is a founding NATO member. Counter-surveillance technology developed here has a natural path to all 32 member states without the export friction that comes with building in non-allied countries.
What we’re building
Symvek is a counter-surveillance technology company. Our products help people understand and defend against surveillance infrastructure:
Sentinel maps surveillance cameras using government open data, community mapping, and public records, aggregated into a single awareness platform.
Shield is a browser extension that blocks trackers, auto-rejects cookies, and prevents fingerprinting. Digital counter-surveillance.
We’re researching physical counter-surveillance technology including SDR-based detection, tracker scanning, and airspace awareness. These capabilities align with Canadian defence priorities in cybersecurity, autonomous systems, and security.
Why this matters for defence
Modern threats don’t respect the line between civilian and military. Adversary intelligence collection uses commercial surveillance infrastructure. ALPR readers, facial recognition cameras, and cell-site simulators deployed commercially can be accessed or replicated by state actors targeting military personnel, diplomats, and defence contractors.
Counter-surveillance tools that protect a journalist’s source also protect a deployed soldier’s pattern of life. The technology is the same. The customer is different.
Canada’s defence innovation ecosystem is designed to bridge this gap. Programs like DI Assist and IDEaS fund dual-use technology that serves both civilian and military needs. Counter-surveillance is one of the purest dual-use categories.
Follow our progress
We’re building in public. Follow the blog for technical deep dives, product updates, and research findings. Try Sentinel to see what’s watching in your area.