Alleged Montreal-area ‘Chinese police stations’ threaten to sue RCMP for $2.5 million

Two Chinese community centres in the Montreal area are threatening to launch a $2.5 million lawsuit against the RCMP after being accused by the police force of hosting “alleged Chinese police stations.”

The RCMP confirmed in March it had opened an investigation into the Service à la Famille Chinoise du Grand Montréal, in Montreal’s Chinatown, and the Centre Sino-Québec de la Rive-Sud, in Brossard, on the South Shore of Montreal.

Representatives from the centres spoke at a press conference Friday morning to condemn the RCMP’s “vague allegations,” which they say have unfairly targeted their institutions, caused people to lose their jobs and funding cuts.

They say the bank holding the mortgage for the Service à la Famille Chinoise du Grand Montréal (Chinese Family Service of Montreal) announced its intention to not renew its mortgage in 2024.

“This ‘witch hunt’ of an investigation is having real-life consequences on the Chinese-Canadian community in Montreal,” reads a statement released by the Coalition to Save Chinese Quebec Institutions ahead of the news conference.

Two Canadian senators — Independent Sen. Yuen Pau Woo and Conservative Sen. Victor Oh — also attended the press conference on Friday.

Sen. Pau Woo came out in defence of the community centres last May when he called on the RCMP to present their evidence or leave the Chinese community organizations alone.

No lawsuit has yet been filed with the court, but the group’s lawyer has sent the RCMP a formal notice it intends to take legal action. The dollar amount is an estimate of the damages they could seek.

CTV News has asked the RCMP for a response to this story but has not yet received one.  

This is a breaking new story. More details to come.