In this file photo taken people walk past the booth of Hikvision, a Chinese state-owned company that makes surveillance equipment, at the Security China 2018 expo in Beijing. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)
A major Chinese surveillance equipment company, Hikvision, is fighting back after Canada’s federal government ordered it to shut down its operations nationwide. The order, issued on June 27, cited national security concerns, but Hikvision insists it has done nothing wrong and has taken the matter to court.
In a public statement, the company confirmed that it’s seeking a judicial review of the government’s decision. It also wants the Federal Court to temporarily pause the shutdown order while the legal challenge is underway.
Hikvision, which calls itself the world’s largest maker of surveillance cameras, has been operating in Canada since 2014. It says it has always followed Canadian laws and regulations and denied that its products pose any threat to national security.
“We have respected all Canadian laws since we began doing business here,” the company said. “We firmly believe our products do not compromise the safety of Canada or any other country where we operate.”
According to Hikvision, the company has made an “agreement” with Canada’s attorney general that allows it to continue operations for now.
Canada’s decision came after a national security review under the Investment Canada Act. Industry Minister Mélanie Joly stated online that the shutdown followed careful examination of evidence from Canada’s intelligence and security services.
However, Hikvision’s troubles stretch beyond Canada. The company has faced sanctions in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Much of the controversy stems from accusations that Hikvision supplied surveillance cameras used by the Chinese government in Xinjiang, a region where Uyghurs have allegedly faced serious human rights violations.
As a result, major U.S. retailers like Best Buy, Home Depot, and Lowe’s removed Hikvision products from their shelves, according to a 2021 TechCrunch report. These companies haven’t confirmed whether they currently stock any of the brand’s items.
China reacted sharply to Canada’s decision. In a strong statement issued the day after the order, a Chinese embassy spokesperson accused Canada of damaging the business interests of Chinese companies and disrupting healthy trade ties between the two nations.
“This kind of action deeply harms legitimate business operations and damages normal economic and trade cooperation between China and Canada,” the statement read. “We urge the Canadian government to correct its course and stop using national security as an excuse to politicize economic matters.”
The future of Hikvision’s Canadian operations now hangs in the balance as the Federal Court prepares to examine the case. Until then, the company remains operational under temporary legal protection.
