Some B.C. municipal mayors are asking for increased provincial funding for their police services and other projects — after Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth announced Friday that the provincial government will provide financial support to the City of Surrey if it chooses to continue with its transition to the Surrey Police Service instead of going back to the RCMP.
In the announcement, Farnworth said the province recommends the city continue to move forward with the Surrey Police Service.
He offered to sit down with Surrey mayor and council to discuss covering the cost of the transition, which could total $150 million over five years.
Now other municipalities are asking the province: ‘What about us?’
“The number of mayors and other councillors that are now calling me and saying, ‘We want the money too, like if they’re throwing around money to local government, we want some over here,’” said Brenda Locke, Surrey’s mayor.
One of those questioning the funding decision is the Township of Langley mayor.
“What about other municipalities with similar infrastructure challenges that are significant?” said Eric Woodward. “From North Vancouver to transit shortfalls, to all kinds of infrastructure issues. There seems to be endless money for the City of Surrey, but not so much for the rest of us.”
“There seems to be endless money for Surrey, but I think other municipalities should start to question why the B.C. NDP government isn’t treating all municipalities equally.”
Municipalities like New Westminster question why Surrey gets to jump the queue when it claims it needs funding for its own policing service.
“I think all of us in local governments across the region were surprised by the province’s surprise offer of at least $150 million to Surrey in its ongoing debate over who should police the city,” said New Westminster councillor Daniel Fontaine.
“It was a surprise because the entire transition issue belongs in the lap of Surrey council and somehow the province is stepping up to pay part of the bill, something it was not prepared to do until now.”
“The province is not playing favourites, (it’s) dealing with a situation in Surrey which not only impacts Surrey but all communities across the province,” B.C. Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth told Global News on Sunday.
“(It impacts) those that are policed by the RCMP and when it comes to support for local governments, we have just given municipalities $1 billion this year in direct grants that they get to determine where that money goes.”
At least one neighbouring municipality said they support the move to the Surrey Police Service.
“If (Surrey) switches back to RCMP, it would create further instability for Metro Vancouver and throughout B.C.,” Langley Mayor Nathan Pachal told Global News.
“For me, staying the course (with Surrey Police Services) creates that stability so that were assured that there are RCMP members available for Langley and other detachments.”
So far, Surrey’s mayor and council have doubled down on their pledge to go against the province’s recommendation and keep the RCMP.
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