Red serge remains in Alberta: province renews contract with RCMP for 20 years

EDMONTON – Alberta and Ottawa have agreed to renew the province’s RCMP policing contract for another 20 years.

The deal puts to rest any suggestions that Alberta would join Ontario and Quebec in creating its own provincial police force.

A provincial study in 2003 concluded that it would cost too much to set up a separate force, but the idea never entirely went away.

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews says in a release that it took four years of negotiations to reach the agreement.

He says the federal government hopes to reach similar deals with the remaining provinces and territories before the end of November.