The head of the Canada Revenue Agency is standing by the agency’s choice to grant a $12 million security contract to a Canadian subsidiary of a U.S.-based multinational corporation instead of the Commissionaires.
Established in 1925, Commissionaires is a non-profit security organization aimed at providing job opportunities to veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces and police services.
According to publicly available records, in June 2026, the CRA awarded the contract to Universal Protection Service of Canada Corporation, a subsidiary of Allied Universal Security Services, a company linked to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation program.
This decision follows a notification to Commissionaires that they would no longer have the first right of refusal for most federal contracts.
Geoff Hamilton, President and CEO of Commissionaires Great Lakes, expressed disappointment, stating that the bid difference was only $80,000, a minute fraction of the contract’s total value.
Opposition parties criticized the government’s choice, emphasizing the importance of supporting Canadian veterans and companies. NDP MP Gord Johns questioned the decision to favor a foreign-owned corporation with ties to ICE over a Canadian institution that supports veterans.
In response, the CRA defended its selection process, asserting that it chose a qualified Canadian supplier independently, without political influence. Allied Universal emphasized its Canadian presence and longstanding relationship with the U.S. government across various administrations and federal agencies.
The CRA’s evaluation criteria encompass factors beyond cost, including past performance, business continuity planning, and personnel recruitment capabilities. The agency reiterated that its decisions are made autonomously, without political intervention.