Public Complaints about the RCMP "E" Division Community-Industry Response Group (C-IRG)Footnote *
Between 2019 and 2022, the CRCC received 572 public complaints related to the RCMP's enforcement of civil injunctions in British Columbia associated with:
- Coastal GasLink pipeline project on Wet'suwet'en Traditional Territory
- Teal Cedar Products Limited logging operation in the Fairy Creek Watershed
- Cooper Creek Cedar Limited logging operation in Argenta-Johnson's Landing
Breakdown of Public Complaints Received
| Wet'suwet'en Traditional Territory | Fairy Creek Watershed | Argenta-Johnson's Landing | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Public Complaints Received |
300 |
268 |
4 |
572 |
Public Complaints Accepted |
5 |
116 |
2 |
123 |
Public Complaints Refused |
295 |
152 |
2 |
449 |
While the CRCC received 572 public complaints, 123 met the complaint criteria laid out in section 45.53 of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act. Of note, most of the refused complaints were from individuals who were not physically present at the three sites.
For more information regarding the CRCC's complaint intake process, and the reasons a complaint may be refused, please consult our Complaint and Review Process page.
| Wet'suwet'en Traditional Territory | Fairy Creek Watershed | Argenta-Johnson's Landing | |
|---|---|---|---|
Public Complaints Accepted |
5 |
116 |
2 |
Public Complaints Concluded |
5 |
116 |
2 |
Public Complaints Investigations in Progress |
0 |
0 |
0 |
For more information on how the CRCC handles public complaints and the public complaint investigation process, please consult our Complaint and Review Process Flowchart.
Allegation Outcomes and Disposition Types
Complaints can be resolved as follows:
- investigated by the RCMP
- terminated by the RCMP
- withdrawn by the complainant
- informally resolved
| Disposition Type | Wet'suwet'en Traditional Territory | Fairy Creek Watershed | Argenta-Johnson's Landing |
|---|---|---|---|
Investigated by the RCMP |
22 |
604 |
6 |
Terminated by the RCMP |
1 |
80 |
1 |
Withdrawn by the complainant |
12 |
2 |
0 |
Informally resolved |
0 |
0 |
4 |
TOTAL |
35 |
686 |
11 |
Notes:
- In a formal investigation, the RCMP investigates the public complaint and provides the individual with a final report.
- A public complaint may contain multiple allegations, each of which has its own outcome. As such, totals from the allegation outcomes may be higher than the total number of concluded complaints.
| Wet'suwet'en Traditional Territory | Fairy Creek Watershed | Argenta-Johnson's Landing | |
|---|---|---|---|
Allegations Investigated by the RCMP |
22 |
604 |
6 |
Supported allegations |
0 |
54 |
0 |
Unsupported allegations |
22 |
550 |
6 |
| Disposition Type | Wet'suwet'en Traditional Territory | Fairy Creek Watershed | Argenta-Johnson's Landing |
|---|---|---|---|
Investigated by the RCMP |
266 |
480 |
280 |
Terminated by the RCMP |
167 |
482 |
280 |
Withdrawn by the complainant |
48 |
59 |
N/A |
Informally resolved |
N/A |
N/A |
370 |
| Wet'suwet'en Traditional Territory | Fairy Creek Watershed | Argenta-Johnson's Landing | |
|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Neglect of Duty |
Neglect of Duty |
Neglect of Duty |
2 |
Oppressive Conduct |
Improper Use of Force |
Improper Arrest |
3 |
Improper Attitude |
Policy |
Improper Attitude / Oppressive Conduct |
4 |
Improper Use of Force/ Irregularity in Procedure |
Improper Attitude |
N/A |
5 |
Mishandling of Property |
Improper Arrest |
N/A |
For more information about the allegations categories, please consult our Complaint Allegation Types page.
CRCC Reviews
Following the RCMP's investigation of a public complaint, if the person is not satisfied with how the RCMP concluded their complaint, the legislation allows them to refer their complaint to the CRCC for review
| Wet'suwet'en Traditional Territory | Fairy Creek Watershed | Argenta-Johnson's Landing | |
|---|---|---|---|
Review Requests Received by the CRCC |
1 |
16 |
0 |
Reviews Completed by the CRCC |
1 |
3 |
0 |
Fewer reports were completed due to the Chairperson's position being vacant as of January 1, 2025. The authority to issue Satisfied, Interim and Final Reports rests with the Chairperson. In the absence of any other CRCC members, reports cannot be issued due to the lack of a decision-maker.
For more information regarding the CRCC's review process, please consult our Complaint and Review Process page.
| # of Recommendations | Proportion | |
|---|---|---|
Total Recommendations |
15 |
N/A |
Recommendations Supported by the RCMP |
8 |
53% |
Not Supported by the RCMP |
3 |
20% |
Partially Supported by the RCMP |
4 |
27% |
Summaries regarding the outcome of the reviewed complaints may be found in our Summaries of Reviewed Public Complaints page.
Note: The CRCC's systemic investigation does not replace the public complaint and review processes. These processes are separate, though findings and outcomes from one process may inform the other.
For more information about the intersection between the systemic investigation and public complaints process, please see the C-IRG Quick Facts page.
Please consult the Complaint and Review Process page for more information.