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CIVIX.ca

Saving a National Campaign Under Pressure

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Challenge

The CIVIX.ca website faced accessibility issues during a critical national campaign, leaving teachers unable to access materials during the largest-ever Canadian mock election.

Solution

We stabilized the website in days by implementing a firewall, addressing vulnerabilities, and optimizing performance.

Result

The campaign was back on track, reaching more than a million students nationwide, with long-term processes in place for stability and growth.
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When Every Click Counts

Imagine this: You’re a teacher eager to inspire students with a hands-on voting experience during election season. Excitement fills the classroom as you prepare for CIVIX.ca’s Student Vote mock election campaign—only to find the website won’t load. Time is ticking, and your students miss out on a vital lesson in democracy.

This was the reality for thousands of teachers during Canada’s 2019 federal election. CIVIX.ca’s Student Vote Canada program, designed to engage over 1 million students in nearly 10,000 schools, faced overwhelming demand. As educators scrambled for resources, the website faltered under the load, leaving frustrated teachers and a critical campaign at risk with weeks to go before the election.

A Campaign in Crisis

For CIVIX.ca, this wasn’t just a technical glitch—it was a potential public relations nightmare. Teachers were vocal. The campaign, designed to shape the future of democracy, was stalling at a critical juncture.

The stakes couldn’t have been higher:

  1. Frustrated Educators: Teachers across Canada couldn’t access the resources they needed to guide students through the mock elections.
  2. Waning Trust: CIVIX’s reputation as a reliable resource for educators was on the line.
  3. Lost Momentum: With the election just weeks away, every day of downtime threatened to derail the Student Vote campaign.

The campaign’s success hinged on two things:

  1. Stabilizing the website immediately to restore functionality.
  2. Building a robust system to prevent future outages.


That’s when they called us.

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Here’s How We Tackled the Problem Head-on:

  • Website Health Assessment: Conducted a full review to identify vulnerabilities and performance bottlenecks.
  • Malware and Outdated Software Cleanup: Scanned and removed malicious software, patched vulnerabilities, and flagged unsupported plugins.
  • Firewall Implementation: We added a firewall to help distribute the load, reduce server strain, and improve load times for users.
  • Staging Environment Setup: Created a safe space to update outdated software, fix broken code, and test changes without disrupting live access.
  • Security and Performance Upgrades: Implemented optimizations to improve load times and protect against future attacks.
  • Proactive Measures:
    • Installed monitoring tools to detect potential issues before they escalated.
    • Tested all websites on the same hosting environment to eliminate cross-site contamination.
    • Advised CIVIX to update passwords and scan their devices for malware to secure access points.
  • Process Implementation: Collaborated with CIVIX to establish a regular maintenance routine, ensuring the website stayed efficient and secure.

Victory for CIVIX.ca

Within days, teachers were back online, accessing the resources they needed. The campaign resumed at full speed, reaching thousands of students without further interruptions.
But the story doesn’t end there. CIVIX.ca’s website is now stronger than ever, with systems in place to catch problems before they arise. Their team is equipped with the tools and processes to handle future campaigns with confidence.
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Why it Matters

This wasn’t just about fixing a website—it was about preserving the success of a campaign that equips Canada’s future voters with critical civic knowledge. By combining technical expertise, fast response, and proactive planning, we ensured CIVIX.ca didn’t just recover but became stronger and more resilient for future Student Vote campaigns and other civic education programs.

Have a campaign or website that can’t afford downtime? Let’s make sure it’s ready for anything.

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