Feds giving CSIS millions to beef up presence in Toronto
The federal government says that it will be providing Canada's spy agency with hundreds of millions of dollars over the next eight years, including money to enhance its presence in Toronto in the face of mounting global threats.
In the budget announced by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland Tuesday, the government said that the country "continues to be targeted by hostile actors, which threaten our democratic institutions, diaspora communities, and economic prosperity."
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
To help combat such threats, as well as violent extremism and foreign interference, the federal government says it will spend $655.7 million over eight years to enhance its intelligence capabilities and its presence.
"To equip CSIS to combat emerging global threats and keep pace with technological developments, further investments in intelligence capabilities and infrastructure are needed," the government said. "These will ensure CSIS can continue to protect Canadians."
Part of the funding will enable CSIS "to enhance its intelligence capabilities, and its presence in Toronto," the budget says.
Speaking with CP24, former CSIS agent Andrew Kirsch said it makes sense for the agency to beef up its presence in the GTA, as the city often finds itself at the centre of various threats.
"In terms of the foreign interference inquiry, we saw that many of the ridings and areas that were known to be targeted were here in the GTA, not all but some," Kirsch said. "We had the notorious Toronto 18 case and Toronto's in the title."
"It's a large region. There's a lot of activity and it's important for CSIS to maintain a footprint here and as a whole. So it's maybe an acknowledgment that additional resources, capabilities are required to combat this, the growing and evolving threats that we face."
He added that staffing could be a particular challenge for the agency in Toronto where living costs are higher.
While foreign interference efforts from countries such as Russia and China have made headlines more recently, Kirsch said, other serious threats remain a concern.
"Just because foreign interference is in the news, currently it's very top of mind, doesn't mean the other threats aren't there, you know," Kirsch said. "CSIS has to keep its eye on the ball and make sure they're watching the threat of terrorism and espionage and sabotage. Obviously, it's urgent as well."
He noted that while people may not see constant headlines about those sort of threats, it doesn't mean they've "gone away."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump confronts repeated boos during raucous Libertarian convention speech
Donald Trump was booed repeatedly while addressing Saturday night’s Libertarian Party National Convention.
This type of screen time has the worst effect on kids: experts
According to some experts, there is one type of screen time that is continuously excessive, and it's having a severe effect on our children.
Family of toddler found dead at small-town Ont. daycare no closer to answers after year of investigation
A year has passed since two-year-old Vienna Irwin was found on the property of a home-based daycare in small-town Ontario, but her family says they are no closer to answers of what happened that day.
Grayson Murray, two-time PGA Tour winner, dead at 30
Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning at age 30, one day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial.
Humboldt Broncos crash victims and families react to decision to deport truck driver
The family of one of the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018 says they are 'thankful' for a decision by a Calgary immigration board to deport the driver of the truck involved.
Fatal plane crash reported near Squamish, B.C.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has confirmed it is working with local Mounties and the BC Coroners Service after a plane crash near Squamish, B.C. Friday night.
'God forgives but we don’t': Loud outburst from stabbing victim’s family during sentencing hearing
An emotional outburst in a London, Ont. courtroom Friday disrupted the sentencing hearing of a woman who pleaded guilty for her part in the death of 29-year-old Mohammed Abdallah.
Three dead after vehicle plunged down a 100-foot embankment in Shediac, N.B.
Three people have died after a vehicle veered off the road in Shediac N.B., Friday morning.
Appeal denied for Edmonton soldier accused of trying to kill her 3 children
An Edmonton woman found guilty of trying to kill her three children has been denied an appeal.