Ottawa, Canada – The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is reportedly continuing to pay for a Black Hawk helicopter that has been grounded by Transport Canada since early June 2026, due to concerns over its compliance with Canadian aviation regulations. The situation has sparked criticism regarding the procurement process and the RCMP's responsibility in ensuring the legality of its contracted aircraft.
According to a tweet by Candice Malcolm, "RCMP purchased border patrol Black Hawk not legally permitted in Canada." This aligns with reports indicating that the helicopter, registered in the U.S., was not certified for commercial use in Canada, despite being part of a contract worth up to $7.5 million awarded to Ottawa-based Helicopter Transport Services. Transport Canada stated the aircraft was only permitted for marketing, special events, or training, not for operational border patrol duties.
The grounding has brought to light a long-standing industry dispute concerning Canadian regulations for refurbished ex-military helicopters. Critics, including Todd Calaiezzi, president of Expedition Helicopters and a previous RCMP supplier, expressed "shocked and disappointed" at the decision to contract a non-certified U.S.-registered helicopter when "Transport Canada certified, airworthy, and approved UH-60 Black Hawks available in Canada" exist. The RCMP, however, maintains that it was the contractor's responsibility to ensure the helicopter's eligibility to operate in Canada, not the government's role to "monitor aircraft registration or regulatory status."
The RCMP initially began chartering Black Hawks in early 2025 as part of a $1.3 billion federal initiative to enhance border security, partly in response to previous U.S. tariff threats. These helicopters were intended to bolster surveillance and response capabilities along the Canada-U.S. border, complementing the RCMP's existing fleet. The current grounding impacts the force's border surveillance program, with the RCMP continuing to incur costs for an asset it cannot deploy.
