Public Safety Canada’s Economic Security Task Force is leading an interdepartmental policy review examining what, if any, additional measures are needed to ensure Canada’s continued ability to respond to the economic-based threats to national security now and in the future. Potential threats include the loss of sensitive goods, technology and intellectual property, the malicious use of sensitive personal information of Canadians, and compromised critical infrastructure, not to mention the economic and financial toll and opportunity costs.
The Task Force is reaching out directly to key stakeholders across Canada in a range of sectors, including academic and research organizations, business and professional associations, civil society organizations, and provinces, territories and municipalities. In addition to raising awareness about the current threat environment, the objective is to look at ways to make Canada and Canadians more secure while simultaneously promoting economic prosperity.
A public report that summarizes the input will be released in the coming year.
Canada’s Budget 2019 announced measures to support efforts to assess and respond to economic-based security threats. This included $67.3 million over five years, starting in 2019–20 and $13.8 million per year ongoing, to Public Safety Canada; Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada; Global Affairs Canada; and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, among other federal agencies.