Corporate Management Branch Overview

Branch Background

The Corporate Management Branch (CMB) provides advice, guidance and services to Public Safety (PS) employees in the areas of financial management, human resources management, security management, real property management, acquisition management, material management, information management and information technology.

CMB also supports the Deputy Minister in ensuring accountability to Parliament. This is done in collaboration with the senior management team by:

CMB also provides internal services on a cost recovery basis to three small agencies within the PS Portfolio (Office of the Correctional Investigator (OCI), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) External Review Committee, and the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission (CRCC) for the RCMP).

CMB’s total budget for 2023-24 is $27.5 million. As of July 2023, there were approximately 345 full-time equivalents in CMB.

In addition, CMB manages $15.8 million in custodial allocations that cover departmental expenses (e.g., information technology assets such as computers and printers, accommodations project costs, financial management systems, human resources systems, etc.).

The CMB is comprised of five directorates:

  1. The Comptroller and Deputy Chief Financial Officer Directorate ensures PS has sound financial systems, policies and internal controls. Financial activities include accounting operations, financial advisory services to program areas on financial reporting and support to program branches on grants and contributions, Memoranda to Cabinet, and coordination of portfolio Treasury Board Submissions.
  2. The Corporate Services Directorate supports and ensures the success of PS’ mandate through the delivery of key administrative programs and services. The Directorate is responsible for procurement, materiel management, real property projects and operations, investment planning, project management, sustainable development, security, departmental business continuity. It includes the Centre for Resiliency and Continuity Management (CRCM) that is responsible for the Government of Canada Lead Security Agency role for business continuity. The Directorate also holds the secretariat function for the department’s corporate governance framework which houses a series of committees that work together to support corporate management, internal policy, culture, character, identity, technology, innovation and security within Public Safety.
  3. The People and Culture Directorate provides support:
    • To the PS managers and executives in creating a workplace of choice and in attracting, developing and retaining a diverse workforce that ensures the success of its programs. The Directorate is responsible for guidance, policies, programs and services related to: staffing and recruitment, classification, labour relations, health and safety, human resource planning and reporting, people analytics, performance and talent management, learning, employment equity, inclusiveness, official languages, wellness, values and ethics, equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility.
    • To the PS employees by applying an employee centric approach to the delivery of workforce related programs that favors a respectful and inclusive culture with a focus on excellence and continuous development. This would include efforts to onboard employees, equip them to properly do their job and develop them for the future.
  4. The Chief Information Officer Directorate incorporates information management (IM) and information technology (IT) responsibilities in support of departmental operations, business priorities and government-wide direction regarding digital modernization.

    On the information management (IM) side, the focus is on departmental compliance with rules and support of information repositories, life cycle management and data standardization. Guidance is provided to Branches regarding information resources, both physical and digital, to ensure they are managed as strategic assets and safeguarded as a public trust. It also operates the Public Safety library, the mailroom, invoice processing and forms management.

    On the information technology (IT) side, two divisions are responsible for the following internal services: IT security management and operations, policies, incident handling as well as the support and delivery of the Department’s corporate and classified systems; IT Helpdesk support, account and IT asset management; and the development of new technology solutions as well as maintenance and support of business and corporate applications.

  5. The Strategic Planning and Transformation Directorate provides strategic planning, performance measurement and integrated reporting for internal services. It also ensures alignment between internal services renewal plans and PS policy and program requirements by identifying and coordinating innovation and transformation initiatives aiming to support departmental culture, results and efficient service delivery. The Directorate also acts as a change management and transformation center of expertise for the department, leading horizontal change initiatives such as the transition to hybrid work and its impacts on culture, workflows, engagement and management approaches across the department.

Key Files and Responsibilities

Key Partners

CMB collaborates with a range of federal partners including the Privy Council Office, Treasury Board Secretariat, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and Shared Services Canada. The People and Culture Directorate works closely with the bargaining agents that represent PS employees.

CMB is actively engaged with portfolio partners through numerous forums such as the portfolio department security officer forum, the Chief Information Officer Council and through regular engagement with departmental Chief Financial Officers and heads of Human Resources. In addition, CMB plays a lead role in networks and forums that allow PS Portfolio partners to share best practices and to influence policy-making and strategic direction.

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