Lead Security Agencies

Lead security agencies provide advice, guidance and services to support the day-to-day security operations of the departments and enable government as a whole to effectively manage security activities, coordinate responses to incidents and achieve and maintain an acceptable state of security and readiness.

Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS): establishes and oversees a whole-of-government approach to security and identity management as a key component of all management activities and monitors the adequacy of services to support these activities and practices across government.

Privy Council Office (PCO): advises and supports the prime minister and Cabinet on national security matters and coordinates the related activities of the departments and agencies.

Public Safety Canada (PS): coordinates the activities related to emergencies (which includes IT incidents) affecting the GC and provides leadership in the area of emergency management which includes the continuity of operations and IT incident management.

Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC): provides leadership and coordination for departmental activities that help ensure the protection of electronic information and information systems of importance and serves as the government's national authority for SIGINT and COMSEC.

Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC): provides leadership and coordination activities to help ensure the application of security safeguards through all phases of the contracting process within the scope of the industrial security program (ISP). It also provides services related to physical security respecting the PWGSC Real  Property Program and common services related to IT security for increased efficiency and economy of the GC.

Canadian Security Intelligence Services (CSIS): collects, investigates, analyses and retains information and intelligence that may be suspected of constituting threats to the security of Canada and provides security assessments to departments within its statutory mandate.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP): provides leadership and coordination for departmental activities that help ensure the physical protection of government information, assets, facilities and people and provides services related to crime prevention, personnel screening, policing, law enforcement and investigations.

Library and Archives of Canada (LAC): provides leadership and coordination among government departments to help ensure the preservation of government information and records.

Global Affairs Canada (GAC) is the lead department for conducting foreign relations and the NATO Nationals Security Authority for Canada.

Department of National Defence (DND) / Canadian Forces (CF): are responsible for providing military intelligence for threat and risk assessment processes and for the coordination of foreign military personnel visiting Canada or otherwise present at a defence facility.

Canada School of Public Service (CSPS): provides training and educational services by developing and delivering courses and programs that meet the needs of the functional security and identity management communities.