A pilot project has begun to address systemic racism and discrimination in Canada’s national police force. The RCMP’s Race-Based Data Collection initiative will collect, analyse and report race-based data to better understand the experiences of Indigenous, Black and other racialized individuals and communities in their interactions with RCMP frontline officers.

It was June of 2020 that the then RCMP Commissioner, Brenda Lucki, stated that she believes there is systemic racism in the police force. She added that it is part of every institution including the RCMP. This was in the wake of the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minnesota Police. It led to worldwide protests against police brutality and racism.

The work on this pilot project begins in Whitehorse in The Yukon, Wood Buffalo/Fort McMurray, Alberta and Thompson, Manitoba. Later this year, there will a pilot site as well in both British Columbia and Nova Scotia. A news release from the RCMP says the sites were chosen based on a number of factors including the public consultations in 2022 and 23.