The Metro Vancouver Mayors Committee did not unanimously back the City of Surrey’s decision to retain the RCMP force in the city, despite a press release from Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke suggesting otherwise.
A motion was made by Delta Mayor George Harvie to provide the City of Surrey with a letter of support “requesting a provincial decision forthwith on the city’s request to have the RCMP provide policing services for the City of Surrey”, which was passed.
However, a press release from Locke stated the mayor’s committee supported keeping the RCMP.
“It is clear the uncertainty of policing in Surrey extends beyond our borders and is adversely impacting neighbouring communities,” Locke said in the statement.
“The mayors committee is sending a clear message to the solicitor general that Surrey should not only retain the RCMP, but a decision on this matter must be made promptly.”
Locke went on to urge the province to reach a decision on the police transition and said the solicitor general should respect the “municipality’s right to choose its police force.”
Surrey is still waiting on a final decision from B.C. over its move to disband the Surrey Police Service. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth is expected to make the final decision by May.
On Monday, Surrey’s city council voted to approve its 12.5 per cent property tax hike — 9.5 per cent of which is for costs associated with reversing the police force transition.
Locke said the city would look to use $89.9 million in one-time infrastructure funding from the province to offset some of the hike.
The city has already spent more than $100 million on the police transition so far, and the Surrey Police Service has hired about 400 officers and staff.
However, Locke maintains that despite leaving the city with a $116-million shortfall, keeping the RCMP and unwinding the SPS will still be cheaper than proceeding with the transition.
Since December 2022, when council voted to keep the RCMP in Surrey, staff reported the monthly cost of maintaining the two police forces in the city is around $8 million.
— with files from Simon Little