Integrated Threat Assessment Centre (ITAC)
www.itac-ciem.gc.ca
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What Is ITAC?
- What Does ITAC Do?
- What Are Threat Assessments?
- Why Was ITAC Created?
- How Does ITAC Work with Foreign Governments?
- Who Is Responsible for Overseeing ITAC?
What is ITAC?
ITAC is the only source of community-wide threat assessments for the Government of Canada. These assessments focus on national security issues such as incidents of terrorism, trends in terrorism, and the evaluation of security for domestic and international special events. ITAC brings together key partners from across the Canadian security intelligence community.
What Does ITAC Do?
ITAC’s role is to help prevent and reduce the effects of terrorist incidents on Canada and its people, both at home and abroad.
ITAC analyzes security intelligence from its various partner agencies and pieces together a picture of potential threats. Participating departments include the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Transport Canada (TC), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Using security intelligence, the Centre produces threat assessments that are then distributed to members of the Canadian security intelligence community, provincial emergency authorities, first responders, and the private sector.
ITAC also shares and receives security assessments from its international partners.
What Are Threat Assessments?
A threat assessment is an analysis of the intent and capability of terrorists to carry out attacks.
Threat assessments produced by ITAC are mostly related to special events taking place in Canada and overseas, possible terrorist attacks, and terrorist trends. ITAC assessments are also used in the development of international travel advisories and in the development of threat and risk assessments for Canadian missions, interests, and persons abroad.
Why Was ITAC Created?
The Government of Canada introduced Securing an Open Society: Canada’s National Security Policy (NSP) in April 2004. The NSP included measures to address the threat of terrorism. One such measure was the creation of ITAC, which entered into operation on October 15, 2004.
How Does ITAC Work with Foreign Governments?
The Government of Canada’s ability to protect the safety and security of Canadians increasingly requires international cooperation. Nowhere is this more true than in the field of threat assessments. ITAC works with centres with similar mandates in the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, and New Zealand. Threat assessments produced by these agencies are distributed by ITAC to the Canadian security intelligence community. Similarly, relevant threat assessments prepared by ITAC are shared with these countries.
Who Is Responsible for Overseeing ITAC?
The National Security Advisor (NSA), in consultation with the Director of CSIS, is responsible for appointing the ITAC Director. The ITAC Director meets each year with the National Security Advisor and deputy ministers from each key partner organization. The purpose of these meetings is to review ITAC's performance; provide guidance on the focus, effectiveness, and efficiency of ITAC activities; and strategically orient threat assessment priorities. As a component of CSIS, ITAC is subject to review by the Security Intelligence Review Committee (SIRC) and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG).