Fatal police interventions in Canada have surged to over 50 deaths a year in the early 2020s, yet criminal charges are filed in only about 4 percent of those cases, according to a new Tracking (In)Justice report.. The study, which examined 333 deaths between 2020 and 2025, highlights a stark disparity between the frequency of lethal force and the rarity of legal consequences for officers.

Four percent chagre rate underscores systemic accountability failure

Out of the 333 fatal encounters analyzed, roughly one officer faces a criminal charge for every 25 deaths, the report states. Where oversight bodies such as Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit reviewed the cases, 95.9 percent resulted in no action, with officials citing an inability to meet the legal threshold for culpability. This pattern, according to the researchers, reflects a legal framework that defines police force as "reasonable" and courts that interpret that standard leniently.

Black and Indigenous peoples bear disproportionate share of deaths

Although Black and Indigenous Canadians make up about 10 percent of the population, they account for roughly 25 percent of the police‑killed victims, the study notes. Families like that of Tracy Wing, who lost her son Riley Fairholm in a 2018 shooting, argue that police narratives dominate investigations, leaving little room for independent scrutiny.

Firearms used in 90% of incidents despite low threat levels

In the majority of the 333 cases, officers resorted to firearms even when victims were unarmed or wielded non‑lethal objects. The report finds that firearms were deployed in approximately 90 percent of the incidents, raising questions about de‑escalation training and the reliance on lethal weapons in routine policing.

Oversight agencies’ rare manslaughter charges signal a possible shift

Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit recently laid manslaughter charges in two separate cases, a development the authors describe as "rare" but potentially indicative of growing pressure for accountability. As the report points out, such charges remain exceptions rather than the rule, and the overall lack of transparency in data collection hampers public trust.

What remains unclear about the investigative process?

The study leaves several specific questions unanswered: Who decides the legal threshold for criminal culpability in each case? Why do oversight bodies consistently close investigations without charges despite evidence of excessive force? And how might independent data collection improve the accuracy of fatality statistics? As the authors stress, without answers to these questions, reforms may struggle to gain traction .

According to the Tracking (In)Justice project, the findings were funded in part by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, underscoring the academic community’s role in spotlighting these systemic issues. The report calls for independent oversight mechanisms and a reimagined public safety model that prioritises life over force.