Military Police Complaints Commission of Canada 2025‑26 Departmental Plan

On this page

• From the Institutional Head
• Plans to deliver on core responsibilities and internal services
  • Core responsibility 1: Independent oversight of the Military Police
  • Internal services
• Planned spending and human resources
  • Spending
  • Funding
  • Future-oriented condensed statement of operations
  • Human resources
• Corporate information
• Supplementary information tables
• Federal tax expenditures
• Definitions

From the Institutional Head

As Chairperson, I am pleased to present our 2025-26 Departmental Plan. The report provides Canadians and Parliamentarians with information about the essential work carried out by the Military Police Complaints Commission of Canada (MPCC). It outlines the key priorities we aim to accomplish in the upcoming fiscal year and the main risks associated with achieving these results.

The MPCC is dedicated to promoting and ensuring the highest standards of conduct for the military police, deterring interference in police investigations, enhancing public confidence in policing, and improving access to justice. In 2024, we faced a historically high number of complaints and an increase in the complexity of our workload. Despite these challenges, our commitment to maintaining the quality and timeliness of our services remains unwavering.

To address these pressures, we will implement strategies to continue to streamline our investigation processes and ensure that complaints are processed promptly and effectively. Enhancing the effectiveness and transparency of military police oversight is a core priority for the MPCC. We aim to engage meaningfully with the people involved in the complaints process, improve access to justice, and deliver a user-centered approach.

Since its creation in 1998, the legislative framework for the independent civilian oversight of the military police has remained largely unchanged. We continue to advocate for legislative reforms to strengthen the independent civilian oversight of the military police and ensure we remain an impartial, accessible, and effective authority for civilian oversight of military police.

Our employees are our most valued asset, and we will continue to prioritize an inclusive and supportive workplace environment. We are committed to fostering an equitable, diverse, inclusive, accessible, and bilingual work environment that encourages productivity, stewardship and innovation. It is my privilege to work with a team of dedicated professionals to advance the important work of the MPCC.

Me Tammy Tremblay, MSM, CD, LL.M
Chairperson

Plans to deliver on core responsibilities and internal services

Core responsibilities and internal services:

• Core responsibility 1: Independent Oversight of the Military Police
• Internal Services

Core responsibility 1: Independent Oversight of the Military Police

Description

The Military Police Complaints Commission of Canada (MPCC) promotes and ensures the highest standards of conduct of military police in the performance of policing duties and discourages interference in any military police investigation through independent and impartial reviews, investigations and hearings which result in sound findings and recommendations in response to complaints about or by military police members as well as through outreach activities.

Quality of life impacts

The MPCC’s core responsibility contributes to the “Good governance” domain of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada. The indicators specifically supported include:

Confidence in institutions: As an administrative tribunal responsible for providing independent civilian oversight of the military police, building public confidence in the police through the complaints process is at the heart of the MPCC’s mandate.

Freedom from discrimination and unfair treatment and access to fair and equal justice: As an administrative tribunal, our goal is to provide fair and equal access to justice for the public. Complaints received by the MPCC about the military police may deal with subject matters such as discrimination and unfair treatment.

Indicators, results and targets

This section presents details on the department’s indicators, the actual results from the three most recently reported fiscal years, the targets and target dates approved in 2025-26 for the Independent Oversight of the Military Police. Details are presented by departmental result.

Table 1: Final Reports provide sound findings and recommendations and are issued in a timely manner.

Table 1-3 provides a summary of the target and actual results for each indicator associated with the results under the Independent Oversight of the Military Police.

Additional information on the detailed results and performance information for the MPCC’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Plans to achieve results

The following section describes the planned results for the Independent Oversight of the Military Police in 2025-26.

Final Reports provide sound findings and recommendations and are issued in a timely manner.

Results we plan to achieve

To ensure that our recommendations are both accepted and effectively implemented, the MPCC will continue to ensure that its Interim and Final reports are based on thorough investigations. To fully address the findings and other concerns raised through the complaint process, the MPCC will prepare reports that include comprehensive recommendations by:

• Incorporating feedback from previous reports to continuously improve the quality and relevance of recommendations

• Preparing Interim and Final Reports using plain language in recommendations and employing point-first writing to enhance readability and understanding

• Presenting a clear and explicit rationale

• Promoting accountability of the military police by providing clear, actionable steps that are feasible and aligned with best practices

Once the MPCC receives all relevant information for its investigation, it will conduct a thorough investigation and complete both Interim and Final reports. The MPCC will prepare these reports efficiently and in a timely manner by:

• Requesting timely disclosure as necessary

• Utilizing case management tools to track progress and deadlines

• Ensuring vacant positions are filled promptly as we are a very small team working on operational files

The MPCC continues to face an unprecedented increase in workload, driven by a substantial rise in both the complexity and volume of complaints received. This surge has placed considerable strain on its financial and human resources. Despite these heightened pressures, the MPCC is committed to maintain its service quality and deliver timely Interim and Final Reports by:

• Investing in training its operational staff so that complaints are adjudicated effectively and efficiently from intake to the issuance of the Final report

• Continuing to attract and retain a skilled and diverse workforce with skills in various areas of administrative justice to ensure that reports are thorough and user-centric

• Gathering feedback to identify areas for improvement, including by implementing a complainant’s satisfaction survey, and make necessary adjustments to ensure the service provided and reports issued are timely and complete

Information requests pertaining to complaint files are responded to in a timely manner.

Results we plan to achieve

Responding to information requests in a timely manner requires a responsive and accessible process, which is crucial for maintaining transparency, complying with legal obligations and cultivating trust with users. The MPCC will ensure timely responses for information requests and uphold standards of fairness, accountability, and public trust by:

• Leveraging Technology: modernize our website to ensure information is accessible, clear, user-friendly, and bilingual

• Ensuring Complainant Confidence: make sure complainants feel safe, heard and confident in seeking resolution to their issue

• Clear Communication: use plain language that is clear, concise, and free of jargon or ambiguous phrases

• Staff Training: train staff in best practices for handling complaints, including active listening, respectful handling of complaints, de-escalation techniques and safeguarding fairness and impartiality

• Trauma-Informed Approach: continue to integrate a trauma-informed approach and provide learning opportunities for employees to better understand the impacts of trauma and to ensure that people are treated with respect and not re-traumatized through the complaints process

• Increasing Visibility: expand outreach efforts to increase visibility and information sharing

• Soliciting Feedback: evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies and the complaint process by surveying complainants, soliciting feedback from external and internal users and adapting communication channels to make them more efficient

• Reviewing Response Times: periodically reviewing response times and outcomes to identify areas for improvement ensuring responses remain timely and effective

• Enhancing Data Security: ensure that all information requests and complaint data are handled with the highest standards of data security and privacy including as part of the plan to collect GBA Plus disaggregated data from users

• Promoting Staff Well-Being: enhance programs to support the mental health and well-being of staff, recognizing the emotional toll of handling complex and sensitive complaints

• Collaborating with Other Agencies: foster partnerships with other oversight bodies to share best practices and improve overall service delivery

Military Police and the public have access to current information on the issues addressed by the MPCC.

Results we plan to achieve

Public access to up-to-date information is essential for promoting transparency, fostering accountability and strengthening public trust in the handling of military police complaints. The MPCC will enhance public access to the most current information by:

• Establishing Clear Communication Channels: Create open lines of communication to allow the public to ask questions and receive updates on ongoing issues

• Maintaining an Informative and more Accessible Website: Ensure the website is user-friendly and regularly updated with relevant information

• Publishing Comprehensive Reports: Provide detailed reports summarizing complaints received, investigations conducted, and their outcomes

• Gathering Public Feedback: Implement a system to collect feedback on the effectiveness of communication efforts and the clarity of information provided

• Informing Complainants and Subject Members: Keep complainants and subject members informed throughout the process to manage expectations

Key risks

Information Access and Operational Challenges

The MPCC has experienced significant challenges in acquiring all relevant information required from the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal (CFPM) to complete its reviews and investigations in an effective and timely manner. Persistent obstacles and restrictive interpretations of the National Defence Act exacerbate delays, increase costs, and jeopardize the MPCC’s ability to meet service standards. Without access to comprehensive and relevant information, the MPCC cannot carry out its core responsibilities of preparing timely reports as mandated by Parliament.

To address these challenges, the MPCC is actively pursuing all avenues to obtain the necessary documents, sometimes engaging in costly legal procedures before the Federal Court as part of its efforts. Open communication with the CFPM’s office is crucial to reducing delays and ensuring an effective complaints process.

Lost of trust in the military police and the oversight regime

One of the significant challenges the MPCC is facing is the erosion of its ability to exercise civilian oversight of the military police. Without legislative reform to strengthen the MPCC’s mandate, and ensure it has access to information needed to investigate complaints, there is a risk that the barriers it faces will continue to dilute the will of Parliament’s intent in establishing a civilian oversight regime for the military police. Many of the MPCC’s challenges to obtain access to information to carry out its mandate would have been alleviated with the implementation of Justice Fish’s recommendations in the Third Independent Review of the National Defence Act released in 2021. Further delays in reform risk damaging the reputations of both the MPCC and the military police, while undermining fairness and accountability. For this reason, the MPCC drafted a proposed Bill strengthening the civilian oversight of the military police and shared it with the Minister of National Defence and Stakeholders in December 2024.

Effective and timely complaint processes and investigations regarding military police conduct or interference in military police investigations are crucial for preserving public confidence, and ensuring justice for all parties.

Human resources management

The small size of the MPCC means that employees often shoulder a broader spectrum of responsibilities compared to their counterparts in larger departments. These multi-faceted roles often demand a diverse skill set. However, attracting and retaining skilled employees can be challenging, due to the limited advancement opportunities, this calls for efficient hiring practices to promptly fill vacancies. Implementing sustainable human resource management strategies is paramount to maintaining stability, compliance, productivity, and overall effectiveness.

The MPCC is dedicated to fostering a strong, diverse, and knowledgeable workforce by advancing human resources planning, implementing proactive staffing processes, and focusing on talent management. We are committed to providing development opportunities, enhancing employee engagement, and offering flexible work arrangements. Additionally, we will continue to ensure a safe working environment that encourages productivity, stewardship and innovation.

Planned resources to achieve results

Table 4: Planned resources to achieve results for the Independent Oversight of the Military Police

Table 4 provides a summary of the planned spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

Complete financial and human resources information for the MPCC’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Related government priorities

Gender-based analysis plus

The MPCC will continue to build on its previous efforts to integrate GBA Plus into its operations. To achieve these objectives, the MPCC will:

• Advance its three-year GBA Plus plan, including consulting with similar policing oversight agencies to share best practices and make sure GBA Plus is consistently considered and integrated across the sector.
• Maintain management of GBA Plus efforts at the executive level to ensure alignment with its overall mandate with collaboration from others in the organization, including registry for its complaint’s intake, human resources and legal services.
• Develop a personal information bank for GBA Plus data in 2025-26. This will help the MPCC track, store, and analyze GBA Plus-related information when received, making it easier to report on and use for decision-making. Once this is in place and data collection begins, the strategy will focus on addressing gaps and challenges identified in previous evaluations.
• Continue to be open and accountable in its GBA Plus efforts by sharing data and updates with the public to ensure that Canadians see how the MPCC is working to consider gender and diversity in its operations.

United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

More information on the Military Police Complaints Commission of Canada’s contributions to Canada’s Federal Implementation Plan on the 2030 Agenda and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found in our Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.

Innovation

Next year, we will explore the potential of implementing a more efficient case management tool. This new system could leverage the latest advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance our operational efficiency and streamline processes. By integrating AI, we aim to automate routine tasks, and provide more efficient services building on the improvement we have made in recent years using manual systems alone. Importantly, our approach will adhere to the guidelines outlined in the “Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Government of Canada,” ensuring that our use of AI is ethical, transparent, and respects privacy and security standards.

Program inventory

The Independent Oversight of the Military Police is supported by the following programs:

• Complaints Resolution

Additional information related to the program inventory for the Independent Oversight of the Military Police is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase

Internal services

Description

Internal services are the services that are provided within a department so that it can meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. There are 10 categories of internal services:

• management and oversight services
• communications services
• legal services
• human resources management services
• financial management services
• information management services
• information technology services
• real property management services
• materiel management services
• acquisition management services

At the MPCC, given its mandate as a quasi-judicial oversight agency, legal services are an integral part of the delivery of the core mandate and therefore included in the Complaint Resolution Program, as opposed to Internal Services.

Plans to achieve results

This section presents details on how the department plans to achieve results and meet targets for internal services.

In 2025-26, MPCC’ corporate services will continue to provide high-quality and timely support to the entire organization, enabling it to meet its administrative obligations and achieve its objectives.

The MPCC’s corporate functions will continue to evolve and take advantage of what a hybrid environment can offer, emphasizing inclusivity and accessibility practices. Operating on a limited budget, the organization must be agile and efficient in allocating tasks and resources. To this end, a review of Corporate Services activities and processes will be conducted to capitalize on talent and create synergy between various sectors.

To support recent changes to the Public Service Employment Act and the Clerk’s call to action on anti-racism, equity, and inclusion, the MPCC will continue to implement best practices in staffing processes and hiring for employees who identify as members of visible minorities, people with disabilities, or Indigenous peoples.

The MPCC will enter the third year of its multi-year accessibility plan, continuing to develop internal processes that facilitate the provision of information in accessible formats and ensure public communications are written in plain language. The MPCC will also work to identify and remove workplace barriers, leveraging the accessibility features of Microsoft 365 applications. Additionally, the MPCC will analyze and implement recommendations from the Public Services Employee survey results.

Hiring is essential to achieving organizational results. However, retaining talent is just as important. Therefore, learning and professional development opportunities, which can be a challenge for a micro-organization, will be further offered to employees seeking growth or opportunities in the coming year. Senior management will also make themselves available for coaching and mentoring sessions. Finally, it is essential to ensure that employees work in a healthy, respectful, and positive environment. Supporting the mental health and well-being of our staff will remain one of the organization’s essential priorities. To this end, the MPCC will continue to provide employees with the necessary tools, training, and support, while offering a safe workplace where innovation is encouraged and rewarded.

Planned resources to achieve results

Table 5: Planned resources to achieve results for internal services this year

Table 5 provides a summary of the planned spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

Complete financial and human resources information for the MPCC’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Planning for contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses

Government of Canada departments are to meet a target of awarding at least 5% of the total value of contracts to Indigenous businesses each year. This commitment is to be fully implemented by the end of 2024-25.

Although the MPCC is currently in phase 3 of the implementation, we have consistently surpassed our Indigenous procurement targets each year. Our recent mid-year review revealed that we have already exceeded our annual target for 2024-25. This success is largely due to our proactive approach in considering Indigenous businesses for every new contracting process. Our strategy also includes prioritizing Indigenous businesses for acquisition card purchases, such as office supplies and furniture. By doing so, we ensure that we are not only meeting, but exceeding the mandatory minimum target of awarding at least 5% of the total value of contracts to Indigenous businesses, as outlined in Appendix E to the Directive on the Management of Procurement.

To further support this initiative, we will continue to follow several key measures:

1. Enhanced Statement of Work Template: We will continue to refine our Statement of Work template to make it easier for Project Authorities to identify and include Indigenous businesses in the procurement process.
2. Training material: We will develop training material for all Project and Contracting Authorities to outline their responsibilities and recent changes, ensuring they are well-equipped to support Indigenous procurement.
3. Regular Reviews: We will conduct reviews to monitor our progress and identify areas for improvement.
4. Close collaboration with Information Technology (IT): We will continue to collaborate closely with IT to ensure Indigenous businesses are considered at the beginning of each requirement. This is the primary area where the MPCC can significantly improve our target.

By integrating these measures, we are not only achieving and exceeding our targets but also contributing to the broader goal of economic reconciliation with Indigenous communities. This approach aligns with the Government of Canada’s commitment to leveraging its spending to support Indigenous businesses, thereby fostering growth and sustainability within these communities.

The MPCC’s capacity gaps include investigator and legal services contracts. In 2022, the MPCC relaunched the source list Request for Qualification process, which involved reaching out to Indigenous police services, meeting with them and sending emails with information and tips on how to apply to our processes. Unfortunately, no Indigenous participation was received; however, if we decide to relaunch the process next fiscal year, we will engage with these communities once again.

Table 6: Percentage of contracts planned and awarded to Indigenous businesses

Table 6 presents the current, actual results with forecasted and planned results for the total percentage of contracts the department awarded to Indigenous businesses.

Planned spending and human resources

This section provides an overview of MPCC’s planned spending and human resources for the next three fiscal years and compares planned spending for 2025-26 with actual spending from previous years.

Spending

This section presents an overview of the department's planned expenditures from 2022-23 to 2027-28.

Budgetary performance summary

Table 7 Three-year spending summary for core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

Table 7 presents how much money MPCC spent over the past three years to carry out its core responsibilities and for internal services. Amounts for the current fiscal year are forecasted based on spending to date.

Analysis of the past three years of spending

The increased spending in 2023-24 and 2024-25 is mainly due to an increase in the number and complexity of investigations conducted by the MPCC, including several Public Interest Investigations.

More financial information from previous years is available on the Finances section of GC Infobase.

Table 8 Planned three-year spending on core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

Table 8 presents how much money the MPCC’s plans to spend over the next three years to carry out its core responsibilities and for internal services.

Analysis of the next three years of spending

The MPCC’s planned spending is higher for 2025-26, as it includes the last of a two-year $250K fund transfer from the Department of National Defence (DND), which was required due to the rise in both the number and complexity of complaints in recent years. Planned spending for the following two years is currently capped at our Main Estimates levels. However, we will continue to monitor whether this funding is enough to allow the MPCC to deliver on its mandate. Additional human resources may be required to enable the MPCC to fulfill its mandate.

More detailed financial information on planned spending is available on the Finances section of GC Infobase.

Funding

This section provides an overview of the department's voted and statutory funding for its core responsibilities and for internal services. For further information on funding authorities, consult the Government of Canada budgets and expenditures.

Graph 1: Approved funding (statutory and voted) over a six-year period

Graph 1 summarizes the department's approved voted and statutory funding from 2022-23 to 2027-28.

Analysis of statutory and voted funding over a six-year period

The graph above demonstrates the current trend of expenditure increases related to the rise in both the number and complexity of complaints in recent years. The temporary fund transfer of $250K from DND for both 2024-25 and 2025-26 is also seen in the graph above, with a return to normal Main Estimates levels in 2026-27 and beyond. However, it remains unclear at this time if these amounts will allow the MPCC to deliver on its mandate. Additional funding may be sought from DND.

For further information on MPCC’s departmental appropriations, consult the 2025-26 Main Estimates.

Future-oriented condensed statement of operations

The future-oriented condensed statement of operations provides an overview of MPCC’s operations for 2024-25 to
2025-26.

Table 9 Future-oriented condensed statement of operations for the year ended March 31, 2026 (dollars)

Table 9 summarizes the expenses and revenues which net to the cost of operations before government funding and transfers for 2024-25 to 2025-26. The forecast and planned amounts in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis. The forecast and planned amounts presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.

Analysis of forecasted and planned results

The MPCC’s 2025-26 planned results reflect amounts we received through our Main Estimates and does not consider the Operating budget carry-forward that is received during the Supplementary Estimates process or any other funding received during the year. This funding is used to cover additional salary expenses.

A more detailed Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and associated Notes for 2025-26, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations with the requested authorities, is available on MPCC’s website.

Human resources

This section presents an overview of the department’s actual and planned human resources from 2022-23 to 2027-28.

Table 10: Actual human resources for core responsibilities and internal services

Table 10 shows a summary of human resources, in full-time equivalents, for MPCC’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the previous three fiscal years. Human resources for the current fiscal year are forecasted based on year to date.

Analysis of human resources over the last three years

The MPCC’s full-time equivalents count has risen slightly due to the increase in the number and complexity of complaints in recent years.

Table 11: Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services

Table 11 shows information on human resources, in full-time equivalents, for each of MPCC’s core responsibilities and for its internal services planned for the next three years.

Analysis of human resources for the next three years

Given the sharp increase in the number and complexity of complaints in recent years, the MPCC plans to maintain its workforce at the same level as in recent years in order to continue to support the efficiency and speed of the complaints handling process.

Corporate information

Date modified:

2025-06-18