Whether they’re pursuing new breakthroughs or inspiring young minds, your people are helping build a better tomorrow.
Our reason for being is to help them succeed. And protect them every step of the way.
ORION is a not-for-profit organization supporting Ontario’s progress with essential digital infrastructure. Since 2001, we’ve facilitated new discoveries by connecting research and education institutions, regions, and people across the province, enabling collaboration, learning, forging partnerships, and providing our community with the digital tools and expertise they need to make the world a better place.
ORION is Ontario’s research and education network, providing an on-ramp to others like it across Canada and around the world.
Only ORION can connect you to whatever and whomever you need to achieve your goals.
Thought leaders. Innovators. Researchers. Schools. Colleges. Universities. Institutes. Laboratories. Observatories. Hospitals. Governments. Scientists. Teachers. Students. Mathematicians. Engineers. Astronauts. Visionaries. Advanced Research Computing facilities. Databases and resources ranging from smart classroom technology to the Large Hadron Collider.
ORION is a self-sustaining not-for-profit organization formed in 2001 to serve the unique connectivity and cybersecurity needs of Ontarians involved in research, education, and innovation.
ORION is Ontario’s partner in Canada’s National Research and Education Network
1.7 million Ontarians rely on ORION to help them change the world.
Many community members tell us they couldn’t do the vital work they do without ORION’s dedicated fibre optic network, lightning-fast Internet speeds, shared IT services, obsessive focus on cybersecurity, and our willingness to customize our offerings to meet their needs. Discover what ORION could do for you.
| Key features | ORION | Other networks |
|---|---|---|
| Network | Exclusively for Research, Education & Innovation (RE&I) users More secure than public networks Not for profit | Public – open to all For profit |
| Internet | Speeds up to 100 Gbps Vast bandwidth for big data, high traffic Low latency for streaming media Rates based on sector and capacity needs | 100x-1000x slower* Rates must provide a profit |
| Access to RE&I networks | Direct, easy access to Canada’s National Research and Education Network as well as other RE&I networks worldwide | No direct access Bandwidth too low for big data |
| Cybersecurity | DDoS Threat Protection included Anycast DNS service included 24/7 DDoS Threat Protection available Cybersecurity awareness training available CIP (Cybersecurity Initiatives Program) included ON-CHEC (Ontario Cybersecurity Higher Education Consortium) available VAPT (Vulnerability Assessment Penetration Testing) available | May not be included Greater vulnerability to viruses, hackers, breaches, malware & ransomware** |
| Community training | Professional development for RE&I, cybersecurity, and IT professionals Flexible online training CodeRed learning platform | Quality, cost and scope vary widely Training geared to general audiences |
| Access to research data repositories | Direct access to the Federated Research Data Repository, the Ontario Health Data Platform and others | Quality of connection varies widely due to bandwidth requirements |
| Access to high-performance research tools | Fast, direct access to ARC / HPC facilities for big data research, e.g., SHARCNET, SOSCIP Unsurpassed ease & quality of connection | Quality of connection varies widely due to bandwidth requirements |
**1 in 4 organizations in Canada had a security breach in 2020; another 38% were unsure if they had. (CIRA)