NWT RCMP Unveils $21.5 Million Jet After Years of Aircraft Challenges
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in the Northwest Territories has unveiled a $21.5 million jet to improve emergency response and transport officers across remote communities.
The new Pilatus PC-24 twin-engine aircraft arrived in the territory on October 6, marking a major upgrade as the RCMP begins replacing its ageing aircraft fleet nationwide.
NWT RCMP Chief Superintendent Dyson Smith said the need to upgrade the police aviation fleet had been recognised for about 20 years, making the new aircraft a significant improvement.
Previously, the territory’s police force operated a single-engine PC-12 aircraft. While most replacements nationwide will be upgraded PC-12 models, the Northwest Territories received priority for the faster PC-24 jet.
The decision followed a 2023 aircraft crash in Whitehorse involving a plane the territory had leased from Ottawa. Since then, officers have relied on another leased aircraft.
Smith said the new jet offers greater passenger capacity, increased payload and improved speed, allowing officers to reach emergencies faster and provide better services to communities.
According to the RCMP, the aircraft cost approximately $21.5 million. Smith defended the investment, arguing that the benefits of improved emergency response justified the expenditure.
He said the aircraft would be worth the investment even if its cost were twice as high, stressing that public safety should remain a priority.
Under the territory’s contract policing arrangement, the Government of the Northwest Territories covers 70 per cent of the aircraft’s cost, while the RCMP pays the remaining 30 per cent.
Smith explained that chartering aircraft from northern airlines was not considered because the police needed reliable access to their own plane rather than depending on commercial operators.
He said residents deserved an emergency service capable of responding as quickly as possible, particularly in communities where long distances and limited transport options can delay police operations.
Since arriving, the aircraft has flown to Hay River, Fort Liard and Paulatuk. Its journey to Paulatuk on Friday preceded a media demonstration in Yellowknife.
The new jet is expected to reduce travel time between communities significantly. A journey from Yellowknife to Inuvik will take one hour and 35 minutes, compared with two hours and 20 minutes using the PC-12.
Smith said the shorter flight time could allow officers to complete two trips in a single day, improving the police force’s ability to respond to emergencies across the territory.
The aircraft also addresses a major operational challenge: transporting enough personnel to incidents. The previous plane carried four people, requiring three trips to move 12 emergency response team members.
The PC-24 can accommodate eight people and has additional cargo space capable of holding a full pallet, giving officers greater flexibility when transporting personnel and equipment.
Special Constable Chris Williams, an RCMP pilot from Ottawa responsible for training the territory’s pilots, said the aircraft was performing better than expected.
Williams described the PC-24 as a significant improvement for police operations in the Northwest Territories, where long distances make rapid transportation essential.
The RCMP will operate the new PC-24 alongside the leased PC-12 until spring 2027, when the older aircraft is scheduled to return to Ottawa.
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