Canada's security and intelligence organizations face "significant challenges" detecting and responding to security threats because of legislative gaps and outdated resources limiting when and how they can access private messages, one of the country's intelligence watchdogs warns.

A recently tabled report from the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) examined the fiercely contested issue of lawful access — court-approved interception of electronic communications.

While noting legitimate privacy concerns, the report found organizations like the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and RCMP are hindered because they do not have the tools, policies and authorities in place to legally access communications during investigations.

"The committee is concerned by the lawful access challenges described by the security and intelligence community and by the long-standing inability of successive governments to address them," the report said.

"They state that encryption and the increasing volume, variety and velocity of digitally generated data make it difficult and sometimes impossible to gather the information needed to carry out effective investigations."

The committee warned that if left unaddressed, "these challenges will undermine Canada's national security in the long term" and could "impede Canada's continued ability to benefit from Five Eyes efforts … if it cannot meaningfully contribute to this partnership."

The report comes as the House o