Municipality to reduce police and fire services budget cut by $2 million each: council

Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) council voted to reduce proposed budget cuts to police and fire services on Tuesday.

Both departments are now getting a $3.5 million cut each. The initial budget cut to the police department was proposed to be $5.5 million, in an effort to allow more capacity for HRM’s COVID-19 recovery plan.

1:52 HRM to cut $85M in spending

For police, this would mean not filling 28 vacant positions, leaving a dent in non-emergency police services.

Halifax Regional Police chief Dan Kinsella said last week there would be no effect on public safety.

On May 20, Coun. Tony Mancini said he has concerns about the cut’s impact on second-level calls, like traffic and community communications services. Kinsella confirmed there would be an impact.

For fire services, a proposed $5.4 million budget cut meant closing station 11 in Upper Sackville, reduced staffing in two other stations, reduced support for the volunteer recognition program and ground search and rescue (GSAR) team, and cuts to the professional services program for treatment of PTSD.

HRM councilors agreed last week to see the breakdowns of impacts of a $4.5 million cut and a $3.5 million cut instead, for both police and fire services.

At Tuesday’s council meeting, the departments presented alternative budget cut impacts.

For police, a $4.5 million cut would mean filling nine of the 28 vacant positions. A $3.5 million cut would mean filling 16 positions, remaining 12 vacant.

Kinsella says the lower the budget cut, the lower the impact to non-emergency police services.

For fire services, a $4.5 million cut would still lead to closing station 11 and equal cut to support for the PTSD treatment program, as in the $5.5 million cut scenario.

But, it would mean a much lower cut to the volunteer recognition program and less staff reductions in two other stations.

A $3.5 million cut would allow station 11 to remain open, no cuts to the volunteer program, GSAR, no staff reductions and a lower cut to the PTSD treatment program.

Coun. David Hendsbee, representing the Preston and Eastern Shore area, said he saw first hand the need for firefighters and GSAR, after a wildfire broke out in the area Sunday.

Coun. Steve Streatch, who is also a former member of the Halifax Police Commission, says there shouldn’t be budget cuts to public safety, but a $3.5 million is a compromise he can support.

Council voted unanimously to reduce cut to fire services, and in-majority to reduce cut to police.

By keeping an extra $2 million each, council is hoping to reduce the impact on non-emergency services, lower mandatory overtime for fire and police employees and avoid significant vacancies or layoffs.