Parliamentary Committee Notes: Increased Funding Levels for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

Issue:

The total funding sought by the RCMP in Main Estimates for 2024-25 is $4.8B, representing a 16.3% increase over the previous year. In the context of parliamentary scrutiny over foreign interference and violent crimes, committee members may ask if increased funding levels will be directed at the RCMP’s efforts to address these challenges.

Proposed Response:

• The majority of the $681.1 million (or 16.3%) year-over-year increase is related to incremental funding to compensate members of the RCMP for injuries received in the performance of duty ($572.4M), and increased RCMP Member Occupational Health and Supplemental Health Benefits ($18.9M).
• Additionally, there is an increase of $86.5M in Compensation Adjustments for various categories of employees and Employee Benefit Plans (EBP).
• Lastly, it includes an increase of $16.9M in support of Veteran’s Affairs Canada Service of Excellence: Disability Benefits Adjudication ($13.1M) and Case Management for Veterans and RCMP Members ($3.8M).
• These increases are partially offset by a decrease of $24.8M in support of the Refocusing Government Spending initiative.
• As far as funding for foreign interference, the RCMP’s 2024-25 Main Estimates do not include funding for this initiative.
• In relation to investigating and preventing violent crimes, the RCMP’s mandate covers investigating and preventing all types of crimes.
• More specifically, the RCMP’s 2024-25 Main Estimates include funding to support the Initiative To Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence ($7.7M).
• Additionally, as the police of jurisdiction in eight Provinces, Territories, and over 150 Municipalities, and 600 First Nations Communities, the RCMP is called to investigate and prevent all types of crimes. The 2024-25 Main Estimates contain voted appropriations of $987.8M and authority to collect revenues from Contract Policing Partners of $2B for the program’s direct expenditures.

Background:

The $681.1 million increase in incremental funding is mainly attributed to the following:

• An increase of $952.1 million in Vote 15 – Payments in respect of disability and health benefits for members of the RCMP, of which $591.3 million is incremental; $176.9 million in transfers from existing reference levels in Vote 10; and $183.9 million in transfers from existing reference levels in Vote 1.
• Out of the incremental $591.3 million in Vote 15, $572.4 million is funding to compensate members of the RCMP for injuries received in the performance of duty and $18.9 million is funding for RCMP Member Occupational Health and Supplemental Health Benefits.
• An increase of $86.5 million in Compensation Adjustments for various categories of employees and Employee Benefit Plans (EBP) ($72.3 million in Vote 1 – Operating and $14.1 million in statutory appropriations)
• An increase of $16.4 million in support of Veteran’s Affairs Canada Service of Excellence: Disability Benefits Adjudication and Case Management for Veterans and RCMP Members ($13.1 million in Vote 1 – Operating and $3.3 million in statutory appropriations).
• An increase of $7.7 million for the renewal of funding to establish the Initiative To Take Action Against Guns & Gang Violence ($6.7 million in Vote 1 – Operating, $0.09 million in Vote 5 – Capital, and $0.9 million in statutory appropriations).
• An increase of $7.2 million for the renewal of the Canadian Drug and Substances Strategy ($6.4M in Vote 1 – Operating and $0.8M in statutory appropriations),
• An increase of $7.2 million for the Counter Uncrewed Aircraft Systems ($5.3 million in Vote 1 – Operating, $1.3 million in Vote 5 – Capital, and $0.5 million in statutory appropriations).
• An increase of $6.7 million for Strengthening Canada’s Sanctions Capacity and Leadership ($5.3 million in Vote 1 – Operating, $0.01 million in Vote 5 – Capital, and $1.3 million in statutory appropriations).
• An increase of $6.3 million for System Integration and the Complete Delivery to Businesses; and Support Implementation for Individuals as part of the Firearms Compensation Program ($5.6 million in Vote 1 – Operating and $0.7 million in statutory appropriations).
• An increase of $4.8 million in support of Veterans Affairs service delivery (Service Excellence) ($3.8 million in Vote 1 – Operating and $1.0 million in statutory appropriations).
• An increase of $4.7 million for the support of the national security and intelligence review requirements ($3.8 million in Vote 1 – Operating and $0.9 million in statutory appropriations).
• An increase of $2.7 million for the implementation of Canada's Indo-Pacific strategy ($2.2 million in Vote 1 – Operating, $0.2 million in Vote 5 – Capital, and $0.3 million in statutory appropriations).
• An increase of $2.6 million for the Support Implementation for Individuals as part of the Firearms Compensation Program ($2.1 million in Vote 1 – Operating and $0.5 million in statutory appropriations).

These increases are partially offset by:

• A decrease of $24.8 million in support of the Refocusing Government Spending initiative ($24.1 million in Vote 1 – Operating and $0.7 million in statutory appropriations);
• A decrease of $16.5 million, mainly related to the implementation of previously approved initiatives, including, but not limited to:
  • $15.7 million to Stabilize and Strengthen the RCMP (a decrease of $11.2 million in Vote 1 – Operating, and $4.5 million in Vote 5 - Capital);
  • $6.5 million for Convoys (a decrease of $5.8 million in Vote 1 – Operating and $0.7 million in statutory appropriations);
  • $3.6 million for Canada’s Firearms Control Framework (a decrease of $2.1 million in Vote 1 – Operating, $1.2 million in Vote 5 – Capital, and $0.2 million in statutory appropriations);
  • $1.1 million related to the sunsetting of transfers from various organizations to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for law enforcement record checks (a decrease of $1.1 million in Vote 1 – Operating); and
  • $1.0 million for Body Worn Cameras (a decrease of $0.9 million in Vote 1 – Operating and $0.09 million in statutory appropriations).
  • Partially offset by increases, such as:
    • $9.9 million for Safe Third Country Agreements (an increase of $9.7 million in Vote 1 – Operating and $0.2 million in statutory appropriations); and
    • $2.3 million for Cannabis (an increase of $1.6 million in Vote 1 – Operating, $0.2 million in Vote 5 – Capital, and $0.5 million in statutory appropriations).
• A decrease of $13.9 million related to reprofiles, mainly:
  • The sunsetting reprofile of $25.0 million for Real Property and Moveable Assets, Drug Impaired Driving, Federal Cybercrime Enforcement, and the National Cybercrime Coordination Centre ($0.5 million in Vote 1 – Operating and $24.5 million in Vote 5 – Capital).
  • Which is partially offset by:
    • An increase due to a reprofile of $10.8 million for the Central Region Radio Renewal ($0.3 million in Vote 1 – Operating and of $10.5 million in Vote 5 – Capital); and
    • An increase due to a reprofile for the Canadian Firearms Program ($0.3 million in Vote 10 - Grants and Contributions).
• A decrease of $7.8 million related to the implementation of the Transport Security Clearance Program ($7.8 million in Vote 1 – Operating).

Date modified:

2024-08-07