Office of the Provincial Security Adviser
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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Government of New Brunswick |
The Office of the Provincial Security Adviser (OPSA) is an agency of the Government of New Brunswick, Canada which operates under the Department of Justice and Public Safety.
Its mission is described as "providing security advice....networks, facilities, assets and persons critical to New Brunswick's safety, security and economy in both the public and private sectors...for natural, accidental and deliberate events".
It came to public attention in 2026 when it was revealed to have been reported to the Ombudsman by the head of the RCMP in the province for potentially violating the law in surveilling specific residents of New Brunswick in response to the COVID-19 lockdowns.[1] This included monitoring the travel of residents, through their cellphone data - and monitoring online activity of “citizens who express discontent” toward government policies.[1]
The CBC reported "It’s not clear when the office was created, but it has existed for at least a decade with no legislation setting out what it can and can’t do.".[1] In 2016, Andrew Easton, head of Ambulance New Brunswick, was named its head - a role he continued through 2022.[2][3]
Activities
In November 2020, the OPSA sent a broad memo to NB's police forces, fire departments, ambulance and 9-1-1 services and "owners of critical infrastructure", to warn them to teach their employees to avoid phishing emails, in response to a 2020 ransomware attack in New Brunswick.[4][5]
In January 2021, the OPSA issued advice to government employees to refer any "phone calls of concern" to their office for investigation which "may include swearing, yelling, ranting or making threats".[6] In 2026, the Minister of Public Safety Robert Gauvin reiterated "“If I get an email or a bad voice message, they look at it...if they deem it’s a threat, they send it to the proper agencies.".[7]
References
- 1 2 3 Poitras, Jacques (24 April 2026). "Province working on security office legislation, minister says". CBC News. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
- ↑ Easton, Andrew (22 August 2022). "Critical Infrastructure Security". YouTube. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
- ↑ Connolly, Amanda (2016-12-13). "Ray Boisvert named new Ontario provincial security advisor". iPolitics. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
- ↑ "Working Together for a Safe New Brunswick" (PDF). Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
- ↑ Donkin, Karissa (22 November 2021). "Inside Saint John's response to a 'devastating' cyberattack". CBC News. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
- ↑ "Patron Expectations". Canadian Urban Libraries Council. 2024-02-13. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
- ↑ "Province working on security office legislation, minister says". Yahoo News. 2026-04-24. Retrieved 2026-05-03.