Raison d'être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do
Raison d'être
The Canadian Space Agency is committed to leading the development and application of space knowledge for the benefit of Canadians and humanity.
Mandate and role
The mandate of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is "to promote the peaceful use and development of space, to advance the knowledge of space through science and to ensure that space science and technology provide social and economic benefits for Canadians."
The CSA is delivering on its mandate in collaboration with Canadian industry, academia, Government of Canada organizations, and other international space agencies or organizations.
The founding legislation that received Royal Assent in attributed four main functions to the CSA:
- Assist the Minister to coordinate the space policies and programs of the Government of Canada;
- Plan, direct, manage and implement programs and projects relating to scientific or industrial space research and development and the application of space technology;
- Promote the transfer and diffusion of space technology to and throughout Canadian industry; and
- Encourage commercial exploitation of space capabilities, technology, facilities and systems.
For more general information about the department, see the "Supplementary information" section of this report. For more information on the department's organizational mandate letter commitments, see the Minister's mandate letter on the Prime Minister of Canada's website.