RCMP's reserve program faces recruitment, training and resource challenges

An internal RCMP evaluation found recruitment, training, resource and management issues are limiting the reserve program’s ability to meet needs; the RCMP has provided a management response that includes reviews and timelines to address the report’s recommendations.

An internal RCMP evaluation says the force's reserve program is being hindered by problems with recruitment, training, resources and overall management. Reservists are being used more than before to fill staffing gaps across Canada. Based on hours worked, reservists filled the equivalent of about 173 full-time positions in 2024, up from about 155 in 2020. The report notes the RCMP was more than 300 reservists below the national cap of 800 as of December 2024. Key findings: - The report finds an unclear mandate for the reserve program, which contributes to inconsistencies and limits the program’s ability to meet organizational needs. - Demand for reservists has increased, but the program is constrained by inconsistent and insufficient resources across the RCMP. - A significant number of reservists did not meet training and physical health requirements set out in policy, which the report says creates risks and can deter acceptance of certain deployments. - The report identifies gaps in pay, benefits and injury/death coverage and recommends clarifying the mandate, strengthening governance and oversight, and aligning training and health requirements with roles; the RCMP provided a detailed management response and plans to review reservist tasks and consider a tiered approach to health and training requirements. Summary: The evaluation indicates the identified gaps limit the reserve program’s capacity to reliably fill temporary vacancies and may affect reservists’ willingness to accept higher-risk deployments. The RCMP has issued a management response with plans and timelines to address the recommendations, including reviews of roles and possible tiered requirements.