Kyndryl opens Canada’s first global security operations centre in Barrie

The City of Barrie has officially become the site of Kyndryl’s first global Security Operations Center (SOC), in hopes of meeting the need for expanded cybersecurity infrastructure across the country.

The technology giant celebrated its opening with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting on Thursday afternoon.

As one of the world’s largest providers of IT infrastructure services, Kyndryl’s new 24/7 SOC will serve as a central point of contact protecting hundreds of public companies around the world from cyber threats.

“The number of devices that can be exploited is increasing. The attackers and their sophistication in attacking those devices is increasing,” said Kris Lovejoy, Global Practice Leader at Kyndryl Canada.

According to a study by the International Data Corporation (IDC), 64 percent of Canadian organizations experience one or more cyber incidents each month, and just over half have been victims of at least one ransomware attack within a 12-month period.

The new Kyndryl SOC will rely heavily on artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and other automation systems.

“We offer our customers the ability to analyze risks, protect against what they see, detect them and respond to them,” Lovejoy added. “In addition, [the ability] to recover in case something really bad happens.”

The SOC will also employ around 200 people, which is welcomed by Mayor Alex Nuttall, who is working to open up new business opportunities for the city.

“We are certainly well positioned to benefit from the growing industries,” Nuttall said. “Kyndryl has recognized the opportunity here and we are grateful for that.”

Todd McCarthy, Ontario’s Minister of Public and Business Services, also attended Kyndryl’s grand opening, stressing that the province is focused on maximizing trust in the use of AI.

“Every citizen, every company – like Kyndryl – and the government must work together to ensure that we remain safe in the future of technology and artificial intelligence,” McCarthy said.

He plans to introduce the first Cybersecurity and AI Trust Bill in provincial parliament on Monday, which would set out the principles for the safe and responsible use of AI in the public sector.