Canada Lacks Tools to Combat Cyber Crime, Says Watchdog

As of January 2024, 30% of positions across all RCMP cybercrime teams remained unfilled. Canada’s federal government is struggling to effectively combat cyber crime due to excessive bureaucracy and staffing shortages, according to the country’s top watchdog.

In an official report, Auditor General Karen Hogan highlighted significant issues in the response, coordination, tracking, and information sharing among organizations responsible for safeguarding Canadians. Hogan noted that many cyber crime complaints were misdirected to the wrong organizations, with some going unanswered altogether.

Last August, Canada’s national signal intelligence agency warned that organized cyber crime would threaten national security and economic prosperity over the next two years, pinpointing Russia and Iran as safe havens for criminals targeting Western countries.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has faced delays in rolling out an information technology system designed to streamline crime reporting for victims and create a shared cyber crime database for law enforcement agencies.

Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc responded by stating that Ottawa would soon introduce a new strategy to protect the country’s economic interests from cyber threats.