Equalization of Policing Costs

Resolution Category Provincial Scope 16
Subject Social
Year 2016
Status Adopted - Expired
Sponsor - Mover
Red Deer, City of
Active Clauses

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association urge the Government of Alberta to develop a more fair and equitable funding strategy to eliminate the operating gap of RCMP services between large municipalities and small municipalities;

AND FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association urge the Government of Alberta to provide municipalities the full cost of an RCMP member to eliminate the shortfall costs per member to be placed on the municipality.

Whereas Clauses

WHEREAS many Alberta municipalities have contracted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for the provision of policing services;

WHEREAS police services take up a significant portion of operating dollars in larger municipalities;

WHEREAS municipalities over 5000 residents pay significantly more for policing than those under 5000 residents;

WHEREAS the unfair policing model creates a gap between those that pay for policing services and those that do not;

WHEREAS many municipalities receive grant funding from the Province of Alberta through the Municipal Policing Assistance Grant that does not cover the full cost of an RCMP member;

WHEREAS it is to the benefit of all municipalities to increase community safety in their towns and cities by ensuring RCMP members are being funded appropriately by the Province of Alberta.

Resolution Background

Many municipalities have contracted policing services through the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Any municipality with over 5000 residents is responsible for paying for 90% of these policing costs with a 10% subsidization coming from the Province of Alberta. In large municipalities, the required funding to pay for policing services is significant and the burden is often passed onto the tax payer. In contrast, municipalities with less than 5000 residents do not have to pay for their police. This funding model creates a unique and unfair divide between larger municipalities and smaller municipalities. Furthermore, when the municipality receives funding from the Province of Alberta through the Municipal Policing Assistance Grant, the funding received is not adequate to offset the full costs of the RCMP members. Municipalities must provide additional funding to accommodate these additional officers in order to receive this grant.

Government Response

AUMA rejected government response:

The Minister of Justice and Solicitor General stated that she appreciates and values AUMA’s suggestions, and that her Ministry will keep AUMA informed of any new developments related to police funding. 

Alberta Municipalities notes

AUMA rejects government response.

Senior administration from Justice and Solicitor General has advised that Minister Ganley is working with Minister Anderson to get Cabinet support for a public consultation on police funding.

Justice and Solicitor General staff have advised that as any new cost-sharing model would require a legislative amendment to the Police Act, the earliest timeline would be consultation in 2018, and one to two years after consultation to implement the actual changes.