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Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force

Introduction

The Security Intelligence Threats to Elections Task Force (SITE TF) is a whole-of-government working group that coordinates Government of Canada collection and analysis efforts concerning threats to Canada’s federal election processes.

It consists of experts from:

  • The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) (current Chair)
  • The Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSE) 
  • Global Affairs Canada (GAC)
  • The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

Each member agency works within their respective mandate to monitor and address threats to elections.  

Role of the SITE Task Force

The Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force was created in 2019, as part of the Plan to Protect Canada’s Democracy, a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to safeguard Canada’s elections and democratic institutions against interference.

The role of SITE Task Force is to safeguard Canadian federal elections from foreign interference by:

  • Providing a clear point of engagement with the security and intelligence community for Government partners engaged in related work.
  • Reviewing and focusing intelligence collection, assessment, and open-source analysis related to foreign interference in Canada’s democratic process in a coordinated manner.
  • Providing situational awareness for Government partners, senior public servants, and other relevant partners.
  • Promoting the use of intelligence, assessment, and open-source information analysis in the protection of electoral processes through sharing with partners or, when respective mandates permit, take action to mitigate the threat.

The SITE TF is Canada’s principal mechanism to monitor the threat from hostile state interference during elections.

Assessments conducted by the SITE Task Force are based on analysis, reporting and observations – from both classified and unclassified sources.

Member roles and mandate

Infographic : Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force
Text version

Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections Task Force - Partner Roles

Leading to next General Election.

CSIS Canadian Security Intelligence Service

Mandate/Role

Intelligence and threat reduction
  • Collection of information about foreign influenced activities that are detrimental to the interest of Canada and are clandestine or deceptive or involve a threat to any person
  • Countering such activities through threat reduction measures
Intelligence assessment
  • Providing advice, intelligence reporting and intelligence assessments to Government of Canada about foreign influenced activities

Activities

  • Providing threat briefings and intelligence reporting to Elections Canada and the Commissioner of Elections
  • Providing an assessment of hostile state activity methodologies and capabilities to Government of Canada decision makers

CSE Communications Security Establishment

Mandate/Role

Information Technology Security
  • Providing advice, guidance, and services to help ensure the protection of electronic information and of systems of importance
Foreign intelligence
  • Collection of foreign intelligence for Government of Canada on threat actors
Supporting CSIS and RCMP
  • Providing assistance on technical operations

Activities

  • Providing intelligence and cyber assessments on the intentions, activities, and capabilities of foreign threat actors
  • Protecting Government systems and networks related to elections through cyber defence measures
  • Providing cyber security advice and guidance to political parties, provinces and other institutions involved in democratic processes

GAC Global Affairs Canada G7 Rapid Response Mechanism

Mandate/Role

  • Open source research on global trends and data on threats to democracy
  • Partnership with G7 countries to share information and coordinate responses to threats as appropriate

Activities

  • Providing research on disinformation campaigns targeting Canada by foreign actors
  • Reporting on global trends, metrics, and incidents
  • Coordinating attribution of incidents

RCMP Royal Canadian Mounted Police National Security

Mandate/Role

  • The primary responsibility for preventing, detecting, denying and responding to national security-related criminal threats in Canada
  • Investigates criminal offenses arising from terrorism, espionage, cyber attacks, and foreign influenced activities
  • The key investigatory body for Elections Canada if criminal activity is suspected

Activities

  • Investigates any criminal activity related to interference or influence of Canada’s electoral processes
  • Works closely in partnership with intelligence, law enforcement and regulatory agencies

Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections Task Force

What are we talking about?

Covert, clandestine, or criminal activities interfering with or influencing electoral processes in Canada.

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By-Elections

On top of its mandate to monitor federal general elections, in 2023 the Government of Canada directed the SITE Task Force to provide enhanced monitoring and assessment of foreign interference threats directed at by-elections on an ad hoc basis, and on a permanent basis as of July 29, 2024.

Since then, the SITE task force has provided enhanced monitoring and assessment of foreign interference threats for:

In this role, the SITE Task Force reviews and discusses intelligence collection, assessment, and provides open-source analysis.

Reports

The SITE TF produce both a classified and an unclassified report following a by-election vote, which summarize their findings. The classified report is made available to the Prime Minister, relevant ministers, as well as to the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, and identified representatives of political parties with appropriate security clearances.

The unclassified reports are available online:

Other relevant information

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