Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network (CACN)

What Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network (CACN) does

The Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network (CACN) is a Canadian member-based nonprofit organization founded in 2006 that serves as a coordinating hub to combat intellectual property crime, product counterfeiting, fraud, and copyright piracy. It connects brand owners across multiple industry segments (pharmaceuticals, healthcare, consumer goods, food and beverage, apparel, music and film, electrical and electronics, automotive) with law enforcement agencies (RCMP, municipal police), customs (Canada Border Services Agency / CBSA), and federal regulators (Health Canada, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada) to align private-sector brand protection with public-sector enforcement.

CACN's core "products" are services and convening assets rather than a unified software platform: complimentary training programs for law enforcement and customs officers (including an online module deployed on the Canadian Police Knowledge Network in May 2022), the M.E.E.T. (Mock Enforcement Education Training) event series, a quarterly newsletter, a YouTube video library, market research on counterfeiting trends, support for filing Request for Assistance (RFA) applications with CBSA, and a portfolio of committees and task groups (Government Relations, Electrical Task Group, Project Gemini, IPR Enforcement Working Group, Education & Training, Steering Committee). Underlying technology is minimal: the core technical stack is website/digital content delivery, with no proprietary software, API, or mobile application, and no AI/ML systems disclosed.

The business model is a membership-fee nonprofit supported by brand owners and organizations, with complimentary delivery of training to law enforcement and customs. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, and no revenue, headcount, or financials are reported. Strategic positioning is anchored in relationships with CBSA, RCMP, Health Canada, INTERPOL, IACC, and the Global Anti-Counterfeiting Group, plus advocacy that contributed to the passing of Bill C-8 (Combating Counterfeit Products Act) on December 9, 2014.

Name

Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network (CACN)

Legal name

Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network (CACN)

Website

https://cacn.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network (CACN) is a Canadian nonprofit membership organization founded in 2006 that connects brand owners, law enforcement, customs, and government agencies to combat product counterfeiting, fraud, and copyright piracy through training, advocacy, and border-detention support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Anti-Counterfeiting Network Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (813920), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Policy Management, Training & Ethics/Whistleblowing (BPAEAPAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fraud Risk Management & Anti-Bribery/Anti-Corruption (ABAC) (BPAHAFAL)

Keywords

• Anti-counterfeiting services
• Intellectual property enforcement
• Brand protection network
• Counterfeit identification training
• IP crime prevention

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CACN is a non-profit membership network that connects brand owners, law enforcement agencies, customs officials, and government bodies to combat product counterfeiting, fraud, and copyright piracy in Canada. Its core deliverables include complimentary training sessions for law enforcement and customs on counterfeit identification and Bill C-8, the M.E.E.T (Mock Enforcement Education Training) event series, an online training module on the Canadian Police Knowledge Network, Request for Assistance (RFA) filing support with CBSA, market research and statistical reporting, a quarterly newsletter, a video library, and the coordination of multiple committees and task groups.

Product overview

The Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network (CACN) is a non-profit membership organization that serves as a gateway to safety by protecting Canadians from risks associated with product counterfeiting, fraud, and copyright piracy. CACN does not offer a unified software product but rather provides a portfolio of services including complimentary training programs for law enforcement and customs agencies, the M.E.E.T (Mock Enforcement Education Training) event series, an online training module on the Canadian Police Knowledge Network, educational video content, market research resources, quarterly newsletters, and support for filing Request for Assistance (RFA) applications with CBSA. The organization also facilitates several committees and task groups addressing different aspects of anti-counterfeiting efforts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Training Programs for Law Enforcement & Customs Complimentary training sessions for law enforcement and customs agencies on identifying counterfeit and pirated goods, covering health and safety risks, legislation including Bill C-8, and case studies. Intended for police forces, RCMP, and CBSA officers responsible for IP crime enforcement.
• M.E.E.T (Mock Enforcement Education Training) Events Specialized training and networking event series designed to educate customs and law enforcement agencies, government agencies, and brand owners on current criminal trends and best practices for preventing product counterfeiting, fraud, and copyright piracy in Canada.
• Online Training Module: The Illicit Trade of Counterfeit and Pirated Goods Online training module designed to educate police officers, crown attorneys, and customs officers about counterfeit and piracy-related crimes; available through the Canadian Police Knowledge Network's learning platform.
• Video Library YouTube channel and hosted video library featuring training and news videos on piracy, fraud, and IP crime to keep viewers knowledgeable about counterfeiting trends.
• Market Research Statistical data and research on counterfeiting trends, including RCMP documented cases, commodity types seized, and harmful counterfeit product statistics from 2005-2012, made available through the Market Research page on the CACN website.
• Quarterly Newsletter Quarterly newsletter providing insight on the latest news in product counterfeiting, fraud, and copyright piracy in Canada and abroad, distributed to subscribers.
• Request for Assistance (RFA) Filing Support Guidance and support for intellectual property owners to file Request for Assistance Applications with the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) to detain suspected counterfeit shipments at the border.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Western UnionmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2021Western Union joined CACN to disrupt financial flows relating to counterfeit goods by working with private industry and law enforcement to identify and stop transactions involving counterfeit pharmaceuticals and other goods.
• RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRCMP works with CACN on intellectual property crime enforcement. The RCMP is responsible for leading criminal investigations related to commercial scale counterfeiting and piracy in Canada.
• Health CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth Canada collaborates with CACN on health and safety issues related to counterfeit products, particularly pharmaceuticals and health products that pose risks to Canadians.
• Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBSA works with CACN through the Request for Assistance (RFA) program, enabling rights holders to have suspected counterfeit goods detained at the border for inspection.
• CSA Group (Canadian Standards Association)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSA Group works with CACN on standards and certification, helping to identify counterfeit marks and protect consumers from unsafe counterfeit electrical products.
• UL (Underwriters Laboratories)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUL collaborates with CACN on safety certification and identifying counterfeit electrical products and components that may pose safety hazards.
• International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition (IACC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIACC is an international organization that CACN partners with to address cross-border IP crime and share best practices in anti-counterfeiting enforcement.
• Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAFC serves as Canada's central repository for data and intelligence on fraud, working with CACN to coordinate anti-fraud initiatives and share information.
• INTERPOLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINTERPOL collaborates with CACN on international IP crime investigations and training, particularly through the International IP Crime Investigators College.
• Global Anti-Counterfeiting Group (GACG)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGACG is an international organization focused on combating counterfeiting globally, with which CACN collaborates on cross-border enforcement efforts.
• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISED participates in CACN's IPR Enforcement Working Group to help develop national programs to protect Canadians and the economy from counterfeiting and fraud.
• Canadian Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Canadian Chamber of Commerce collaborates with CACN on advocacy for legislative change and policy enhancement for anti-counterfeiting efforts.
• Retail Council of CanadamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRetail Council of Canada participates in CACN's IPR Enforcement Working Group to address counterfeiting issues affecting retailers.
• Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPIC collaborates with CACN on webinars and enforcement initiatives, including joint efforts on IP rights enforcement at Canada's border.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Underwriters Laboratories (UL): UL collaborates with CACN on safety certification and identifying counterfeit electrical products. It is a comparable partner in the standards/certification ecosystem addressing unsafe counterfeit goods, though its primary business is broader product safety testing.
• CSA Group: CSA Group is a Canadian standards and certification body that partners with CACN on identifying counterfeit marks and protecting consumers from unsafe counterfeit electrical products. It operates in an adjacent space addressing counterfeit risk through certification.
• Pharmaceutical Security Institute (PSI): PSI is a non-profit whose members are pharmaceutical manufacturers focused on combating counterfeit medicines. It is a narrower, industry-specific peer with overlapping training, intelligence-sharing, and enforcement-coordination activities.

Broad incumbents

• International Trademark Association (INTA): INTA is a large global association of trademark owners and practitioners focused on IP protection and policy. While much broader than CACN, it overlaps substantially on anti-counterfeiting advocacy, legislative engagement, and brand-owner education.
• World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): WIPO is the UN agency that develops international IP frameworks. While not a member association, its policy and enforcement-coordination work intersects with CACN's legislative advocacy and cross-border IP crime objectives.

Direct peers

• Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG): ACG is a UK-based association coordinating private-sector anti-counterfeiting efforts with customs and police. Its focus on IP crime coordination across brand owners and enforcement bodies makes it a strong functional peer to CACN.
• International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition (IACC): IACC is a US-based international trade association that brings together brand owners, law enforcement, and government to combat counterfeiting. It is CACN's most directly comparable counterpart in scope, and the two organizations are active partners, making IACC the closest functional peer.
• React (European Anti-Counterfeiting Network): React is a European membership-based anti-counterfeiting network coordinating brand owners, customs, and law enforcement. Its mission, member-driven structure, and training/enforcement coordination activities closely parallel CACN's role in Canada.
• Global Anti-Counterfeiting Group (GACG): GACG is an international organization focused on combating counterfeiting globally. CACN is a partner, and GACG's cross-border coordination mandate directly parallels CACN's role at the Canadian level.

Regional players

• Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC): CAFC is Canada's central repository for fraud data and intelligence and is a core CACN partner. While CAFC focuses on consumer fraud reporting and intelligence, its overlap with CACN on financial-crime coordination (Project Gemini) makes it a closely related Canadian counterpart.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/BuyTheRealThing
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCF50zYL8l6BsNE3L2ZEvg_Q
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canadian-anti-counterfeiting-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network (CACN)