Canadian Security Intelligence Service

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.

At a glance — Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)

Type	Civilian security-intelligence service (federal)
Mandate	Investigate threats to the security of Canada; advise government; conduct security screening; undertake authorized threat-reduction measures
Legal framework	CSIS Act; elements of the National Security Act, 2017/2019 (C-59); warrants from the Federal Court; Charter/Privacy/administrative law
Headquarters	Ottawa, Ontario (regional offices across Canada; foreign liaison posts)
Oversight & review	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
Relationship to policing	CSIS collects intelligence and advises; RCMP leads criminal investigations/charges
Official site	csis.gc.ca

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: RCMP, CBSA, 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