The Canadian Safety and Security Program (CSSP) is a federally-funded program that supports federal, provincial, territorial, municipal and Indigenous governments in the development of innovative science and technology advancements that contribute to the safety and security of Canadians. Projects funded by CSSP strengthen Canada's ability to anticipate, prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters, serious accidents, crime and terrorism through the convergence of science and technology (S&T) with policy, operations, and intelligence.
CSSP allows government departments to meet their safety and security requirements with science and technology solutions in collaboration with industry and/or academia.
The CSSP is managed by the Department of National Defence (DND) in partnership with Public Safety Canada (PSC). Coordination of the CSSP is led by the Centre for Security Science within DND’s science and technology organization, Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC).
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Priority areas - Text version
The Venn diagram shows the six priority areas of the CSSP which fall under the public safety, national security and overlapping domains. Each priority area has a brief description.
Under public safety, the priority areas are:
- First responders
Enable the development of knowledge, trusted advice and innovative technology solutions that support paramedic, fire, and law enforcement service delivery that is responsive to community expectations and operating environment challenges. - Preparedness and resilience
Develop capabilities that support national risk management and mitigation, improve public emergency communications and public responses to emergencies, and strengthen whole-of-society resilience.
Under national security, the priority areas are:
- Surveillance, intelligence and interdiction
Support analytical or operational solutions that help detect, prevent, and respond to various public and national security threats. - Border security
Improve efficiency and security of the flow of people and goods at Canada’s ports of entry; ensure integrity of Canada’s borders.
Under the overlapping area of public safety and national security, the priority areas are:
- CBRNE security
Advance national capabilities to prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from high consequence chemical, biological, radiological-nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) public safety and security events. - Critical infrastructure resilience
Enable understanding and preparedness for physical and cyber threats and risks to critical infrastructure.
- First responders
Priority areas
CSSP projects are organized under six priority themes under public safety and national security:
First responders
Develop knowledge, informed advice, and innovative technology solutions to support paramedic, fire, and law enforcement service delivery that is responsive to community needs and the specific challenges facing first responders.
Preparedness and resilience
Develop solutions that support national risk management and mitigation efforts, improve public emergency communications and public responses to emergencies (including natural disasters, violent extremism, etc.), and strengthen whole-of-society resilience.
Chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives (CBRNE) security
Improve Canada’s national capacity to anticipate, prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from high consequence CBRNE public safety and national security events.
Critical infrastructure resilience
Anticipate, prepare for, and prevent physical and cyber threats and risks to critical infrastructure.
Surveillance, intelligence, and interdiction
Support analytical or operational solutions that help detect, prevent, and respond to various public safety and national security threats.
Border security
Improve efficiency and security of the flow of people and goods at Canada’s ports of entry; and ensure integrity of Canada’s borders.
Key aspects of CSSP projects:
- Lead government department: Projects are driven by timely needs of a lead government department that owns or co-owns the science and technology research and implements the projects.
- Whole of government: CSSP is a national, whole of government(s) science and technology program with the mandate and investment mechanisms to address common needs and areas of shared responsibility across the federal, provincial, territorial, municipal, and Indigenous safety and security landscape.
- Between mandates: CSSP projects address needs that fall between departmental and/or institutional mandates, which pose a critical risk or serious impediment to public safety and national security.
- Collaboration: CSSP projects engage value-added partners in government, industry, and academia, which help to build networks and partnerships for safety and security.
- High-impact science and technology: CSSP research and development address key safety and security challenges identified by the Centre for Security Science and/or other government departments.
CSSP call for proposals
The 2023 Canadian Safety and Security Program (CSSP) call for proposals for micronets is now closed.
Read about past CSSP calls for proposals:
Who can apply
- Partners with an identified lead government department are eligible to apply to CSSP calls for proposals. The lead government department may be federal, provincial, territorial, municipal or Indigenous. Partners may include industry and academia.
How to apply
- Calls for proposals are launched by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC). Science and technology challenges are posted on CanadaBuys.
About the CSSP
The Canadian Safety and Security Program (CSSP) is a federally-funded program fostering innovative science and technology advancements at federal, provincial, territorial, municipal and Indigenous levels of government that contribute to the safety and security of Canadians.
CSSP fosters partnerships among government departments to meet their safety and security requirements with science and technology solutions sourced in collaboration with industry and/or academia.
Vision: A safe and secure Canada through science and technology leadership.
Mission: Strengthen Canada’s ability to anticipate, prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism, crime, natural disasters, and serious accidents through the convergence of science and technology with policy, operations, and intelligence.
History
The CSSP is managed by the Centre for Security Science, which is the coordinating body for federal safety and security science and technology. The Centre for Security Science was established through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Department of National Defence (DND) and Public Safety Canada (PSC) in 2006. The Centre for Security Science is located within DND’s science and technology organization, Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC).
The CSSP was launched in 2012 and harmonized three pre-existing programs: the Chemical, Biological, and Radiological-Nuclear Research and Technology Initiative (CRTI); the Public Security Technical Program (PSTP); and the Canadian Police Research Centre (CPRC).
Publications
Reports are published through Defence Research Reports on a wide range of topics to provide partners, stakeholders, and the public easy access to information on the many projects undertaken under the CSSP every year. Reports can be found by searching by keyword or by browsing through the recent additions under the DRDC Centre for Security Science. Please note that all reports are published in the language of the author.