Office of Protocol of Canada

Diplomatic Gateway to Canada

The Office of Protocol contributes to shaping the international agenda to Canada’s benefit and advantage, in accordance with Canadian interests and values, at home and abroad through the management and oversight of:

• Official/state visits (both in Canada and abroad)
• Official events, summits management and international events
• Diplomatic corps services and outreach programs

Chief of Protocol

The Chief of Protocol of Canada is responsible for the management of the Office of Protocol and is considered as the most senior protocol officer for high-level international visits to Canada and outgoing state, official and working visits, as well as overall issues relating to the entitlements and special status granted to the foreign diplomatic community in Canada, which includes a number of international organizations.

Diplomatic Corps Services

Being host country to close to some 8000 diplomatic agents stationed across 183 diplomatic missions, 490 consular posts and over twenty international organizations while managing compliance with Canada’s related international/domestic obligations requires a significant program and service infrastructure and cross-jurisdictional coordination. The Diplomatic Corps Services Division is on the daily front-line of these operations, which includes administering the accreditation programs and delivery of special outreach and public diplomacy events for the diplomatic community.

The Diplomatic Community in numbers:

• Resident Diplomatic Missions accredited to Canada: 129
• Non-Resident Diplomatic Missions accredited to Canada: 54
• Total of Consular Posts in Canada: 490
• International Organizations and Other Offices: 26

Official Visits and Events

The Office of Protocol provides the coordination and operational aspects of state, official and working visits to Canada and official travel abroad by the Governor General, Prime Minister and portfolio ministers.

We also define standards of treatment for state, official, working and private visits of heads of state, heads of governments, ministers and guests of government. We further ensure that the guidelines, standards and regulations for guests of Canada are upheld.

Our team also manages the Canada Reception Centres at the Macdonald Cartier International Airport and the administration of the National Airport Courtesy Program. 

Key contacts

• National Airport Courtesy Program Coordinator, Official Visits Division of the Office of Protocol
  Please call: 343-203-3032; Fax: 613-995-5661
• Overflight Clearances (Civilian Flights), Services Trade Policy Division, Global Affairs Canada
  Please call: 343-203-4473; Fax: 613-944-0058
• Overflight Clearances (Military Flights), Defense and Security Relations Division, Global Affairs Canada
  Please call: 343-203-3174; Fax: 613-992-2482

Summits Management and International Events

In addition to offering strategic planning and operational support to all government departments and agencies hosting international conferences and events in Canada, we provide advisory services on logistics and planning to foreign host countries that are organizing major international conferences and events abroad.

Contact Us

Office of Protocol of Canada
Address: Lester B. Pearson Building – Tower A
125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, K1A 0G2
General Information: 343-203-3002 (Lucette Bertrand, Protocol Services Assistant)

Fax: 613-943-1075
Email Address: Office of Protocol
Web site: Office of Protocol
*After-hours operation number: 613-996-8885

Related Links

• Chief of Protocol of Canada
• Frequently Asked Questions (Retired Heads of Mission Association)
• The Office of Protocol in History

Note: Global Affairs Canada (Office of Protocol) is not responsible for the content of external links.