Date of Publishing:
Results at a glance
A departmental plan describes a department’s priorities, plans, and associated costs for the upcoming three fiscal years.
Key priorities
The NSIRA Secretariat’s top priorities for 2025-26 are as follows:
- Maintain the rigor and professionalism of reviews and investigations to assess whether Government of Canada national security and intelligence activities are lawful, reasonable, and necessary.
- Strengthen processes and procedures to improve efficiency and timeliness in reviews and complaint investigations.
- Foster collaboration and partnerships to share best practices and support oversight efforts.
- Promote transparency and accountability by publishing comprehensive and accessible reports.
- Prepare for the implementation of new legislative requirements affecting NSIRA’s complaint investigation mandate.
Highlights
In 2025-26, total planned spending (including internal services) for the NSIRA Secretariat is $19,445,052 and total planned full-time equivalent staff (including internal services) is 100. For complete information on the NSIRA Secretariat’s total planned spending and human resources, read the Planned spending and human resources section of the full plan.
The following provides a summary of the department’s planned achievements for 2025-26 according to its approved Departmental Results Framework. A Departmental Results Framework consists of a department’s core responsibilities, the results it plans to achieve, and the performance indicators that measure progress toward these results.
Core responsibility 1: National Security and Intelligence Reviews and Complaints Investigations
Actual spending: $11,280,435
Actual human resources: 69
Departmental results:
Ministers and Canadians are informed whether national security and intelligence activities undertaken by Government of Canada institutions are lawful, reasonable and necessary.
- All mandatory reviews are completed on an annual basis
- Reviews of national security or intelligence activities of at least five departments or agencies are conducted each year
- All Member-approved high priority national security or intelligence activities are reviewed over a three-year period
National security-related complaints are independently investigated in a timely manner.
- Percentage of investigations completed within NSIRA service standards
The NSIRA Secretariat supports NSIRA in the independent review of national security and intelligence activities to assess whether they are lawful, reasonable, and necessary, and in the investigation of public complaints related to these activities. Through rigorous reviews and timely investigations, this work enhances accountability and public confidence in the governance of national security and intelligence activities.
Key plans for 2025-26 include leveraging expertise from previous reviews to refine processes, strengthening partnerships to improve oversight, and modernizing procedures to address high volumes of complaints efficiently. The Secretariat will also support NSIRA’s focus on transparency by publishing accessible reports. The Secretariat will assist NSIRA in preparing for the implementation of new legislative requirements with regards to the investigation of complaints brought by Bill C-20 having received Royal Assent.
Recognizing risks such as procedural unpredictability, delays in accessing information, and challenges in meeting service standards, the Secretariat will mitigate these risks through clear communication, tracking progress, and timely escalation with relevant parties. These efforts align with the broader goals of strengthening public trust and ensuring good governance in national security and intelligence activities.
More information about National security and intelligence reviews and complaints can be found in the full plan.
