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'''The Canadian Security Intelligence Service''' ('''CSIS'''; French: ''Service canadien du renseignement de sécurité'') is Canada’s domestic security-intelligence service. CSIS investigates, assesses, and advises the Government of Canada on threats to the security of Canada—such as terrorism, espionage, foreign interference, and cyber-enabled activities—and conducts related security screening. It is a civilian agency that collects intelligence and provides advice; it does not lay criminal charges or run prosecutions.

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<div style="font-weight:700; color:#b91c1c; margin-bottom:6px;">At a glance — Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)</div>
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! style="text-align:left; width:42%; padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top;" | Type
| style="padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top;" | Civilian security-intelligence service (federal)
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! style="text-align:left; width:42%; padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top;" | Mandate
| style="padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top;" | Investigate threats to the security of Canada; advise government; conduct security screening; undertake authorized threat-reduction measures
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! style="text-align:left; width:42%; padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top;" | Legal framework
| style="padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top; overflow-wrap:anywhere;" | '''CSIS Act'''; elements of the '''National Security Act, 2017/2019''' (C-59); warrants from the Federal Court; Charter/Privacy/administrative law
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! style="text-align:left; width:42%; padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top;" | Headquarters
| style="padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top; overflow-wrap:anywhere;" | Ottawa, Ontario (regional offices across Canada; foreign liaison posts)
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! style="text-align:left; width:42%; padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top;" | Oversight & review
| style="padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top; overflow-wrap:anywhere;" | Minister of Public Safety (accountable to Parliament); '''NSIRA''' (review) • '''NSICOP''' (parliamentary review of national security) • '''Intelligence Commissioner''' (ex ante approvals for certain authorizations) • Federal Court warrants
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! style="text-align:left; width:42%; padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top;" | Relationship to policing
| style="padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top;" | CSIS collects intelligence and advises; [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police|RCMP]] leads criminal investigations/charges
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! style="text-align:left; width:42%; padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top;" | Official site
| style="padding:4px 6px; vertical-align:top; overflow-wrap:anywhere;" | csis.gc.ca
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== Mandate and core functions ==
CSIS provides the Government of Canada with assessments and advice on:
* '''Espionage & sabotage''' targeting Canadian interests (government, defense, research, critical infrastructure).  
* '''Foreign interference''' that attempts to covertly influence Canadian institutions, communities, or democratic processes.  
* '''Terrorism & violent extremism''' (ideologically, religiously, or politically motivated).  
* '''Cyber-enabled threats''' linked to hostile state or non-state actors.  
* '''Proliferation''' and illicit acquisition of sensitive technologies.  

CSIS also conducts:
* '''Security screening''' for immigration (with partners), refugee determinations, and government clearances for access to classified information or sensitive sites.  
* '''Threat-reduction measures (TRMs)'''—proportionate, Charter-compliant measures to reduce a threat, where authorized (warrants required if a measure would otherwise be unlawful or infringe a right).

== Intelligence authorities and tools (high level) ==
* '''Collection & analysis:''' Human sources, interviews, surveillance (physical/technical), open-source intelligence, and lawful access to information under ministerial authorizations and, when required, '''Federal Court warrants'''.  
* '''Datasets regime:''' The modern framework (C-59) governs how CSIS may collect, retain, and query datasets (Canadian/foreign/‘publicly available’) with approvals, retention tests, and oversight.  
* '''Information sharing:''' With federal/provincial partners under law and policy; dissemination is guided by minimization and necessity/proportionality principles.  
* '''Warrants:''' Federal Court may issue warrants authorizing otherwise unlawful activities strictly for national security investigations; applications are sworn and subject to after-the-fact review.

== What CSIS is not ==
CSIS is not a police force and does not lay criminal charges. When intelligence indicates criminal activity, CSIS provides information to the RCMP or other police. Prosecutorial decisions are independent.

== Threat landscape (overview) ==
* '''State-sponsored espionage & interference:''' Targeting advanced research, IP, diaspora communities, and democratic processes; includes covert influence, coercion, and unlawful foreign direction.  
* '''Terrorism/violent extremism:''' Small networks or lone actors influenced by extremist ideologies; online radicalization; transnational linkages.  
* '''Cyber operations:''' Intrusions and exfiltration against governments, academia, and industry; supply-chain and critical-infrastructure risks.  
* '''Proliferation & illicit procurement:''' Attempts to obtain controlled goods/dual-use technologies for weapons programs abroad.

== Security screening ==
CSIS conducts assessments for:
* '''Immigration/refugee''' files referred under law and policy.  
* '''Government of Canada clearances''' (e.g., Reliability, Secret, Top Secret) and for certain private-sector roles requiring access to protected/classified matters.  
* '''Sensitive sites''' (e.g., major airports, critical facilities) as defined by program authorities.  
Reports inform—not replace—decision-making by immigration officials or departmental security officers.

== Operations: domestic and abroad ==
* '''Domestic:''' Regional offices cover major population/industrial centres; operations are guided by ministerial directions and internal policies.  
* '''Foreign liaison:''' CSIS maintains relationships with foreign intelligence and security partners to exchange information consistent with Canadian law and ministerial direction; activities abroad are subject to specific authorizations and reviews.

== Governance, oversight, and review ==
* '''Minister of Public Safety'''—responsible to Parliament for CSIS.  
* '''NSIRA''' (National Security and Intelligence Review Agency)—conducts in-depth reviews across all national-security agencies, including CSIS, and investigates public complaints.  
* '''NSICOP''' (National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians)—multiplatform review by MPs/Senators with security clearances.  
* '''Intelligence Commissioner'''—a retired judge who provides quasi-judicial authorization/approval for certain ministerial authorizations before they take effect.  
* '''Federal Court'''—issues warrants and may review compliance issues brought before it.  
* '''Privacy, access to information, and internal compliance''' frameworks govern retention, minimization, and accountability.

== Cooperation with partners ==
* '''Domestic:''' [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police|RCMP]], [[Canada Border Services Agency|CBSA]], [[Communications Security Establishment|CSE]], [[Public Safety Canada]], [[Global Affairs Canada]], [[Transport Canada]], [[Elections Canada]] (on threat briefings), provincial/municipal police, and critical-infrastructure operators.  
* '''International:''' Liaison with allied and partner services under ministerial direction; information sharing follows caveats and human-rights risk assessments.

== Intelligence cycle ==
'''Direction → Collection → Processing/Exploitation → Analysis/Assessment → Advice/Dissemination → Feedback.'''  
Products range from tactical threat notes to strategic assessments for senior decision-makers and affected stakeholders.

== Rights, privacy, and compliance ==
Activities must be necessary, reasonable, and proportionate to the threat. Policies require consideration of Charter rights, privacy impacts, and the potential for foreign-partner human-rights risks. Compliance units, training, legal counsel, and external review help maintain standards.

== Careers and capabilities (overview) ==
CSIS employs intelligence officers, analysts, data specialists, engineers/technologists, linguists, policy/legal advisors, security screeners, and corporate professionals. Training emphasizes tradecraft, law and policy, ethics, cultural awareness, and interagency coordination.

== History (brief timeline) ==
* '''1984:''' Parliament creates CSIS via the '''CSIS Act''', separating intelligence from the RCMP’s policing role (replacing the former RCMP Security Service).  
* '''2001–2002:''' Post-9/11 reforms expand national-security coordination and information-sharing frameworks.  
* '''2015:''' Legislative changes add threat-reduction powers (with judicial safeguards).  
* '''2017–2019 (C-59):''' National Security Act modernizes oversight/review (creates NSIRA and the Intelligence Commissioner), clarifies datasets regime and information-sharing rules, and updates CSIS/CSE authorities.  
* '''2020s:''' Heightened focus on foreign interference, cyber threats, critical-infrastructure security, and safeguarding research/innovation ecosystems.

== Public guidance and outreach ==
CSIS issues briefings and guidance to governments, universities, private sector, and at-risk communities on recognizing foreign-interference indicators, protecting research/IP, mitigating insider risks, and reporting suspicious approaches or coercion.

== See also ==
* [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]] • [[Canada Border Services Agency]] • [[Communications Security Establishment]]  
* [[Public Safety Canada]] • [[Elections Canada]] • [[Environment and Climate Change Canada]] (for hazard alerts that may intersect with security operations)  
* [[Emergency management in Canada]] • [[Public safety in Canada]]

== External links (official) ==
* CSIS — Home: https://www.csis.gc.ca/  
* Careers at CSIS: https://www.csis.gc.ca/ (search: “careers”)  
* National security transparency & review bodies: search '''NSIRA''', '''NSICOP''', and '''Intelligence Commissioner Canada'''

[[Category:Government of Canada agencies]]
[[Category:Intelligence agencies]]
[[Category:Public safety in Canada]]
[[Category:National security of Canada]]