BONNYVILLE - There are still a number of unknowns when it comes to the province’s new police funding model, and the MD of Bonnyville wants the full picture.
After listing numerous questions, including whether their final $1.2-million contribution will be offset partially by their already-funded enhanced RCMP positions, council decided to send a letter to the Solicitor General in search of answers.
“The province is intending to go ahead with the police funding model, with 300 additional RCMP in the province,” outlined CAO Luc Mercier during the MD’s meeting on Wednesday.
Earlier this month, the Government of Alberta announced rural and small Alberta communities would begin paying for frontline policing costs, something they’ve never contributed to in the past due to an ongoing agreement with the provincial government.
Now, municipalities will be covering 30 per cent of the expense through a phased-in approach.
“The MD of Bonnyville will start off at $400,000 and over four years will end up at $1.2-million,” Mercier explained.
He continued, “We have no information on what that $1.2-million includes for reductions because of our enhanced positions. We will have to get a very good grasp on the enhanced positions in our region to ensure that any dollars, whether direct or indirect, are included as a reduction on that $400,000 to $1.2-million.”
Reeve Greg Sawchuk had the same concerns.
“Community police officers, (the province isn't) accounting for them at all. Enhanced positions they are, but we have to find out whether or not they’re going to offset this, and possibly, those three new ones we’re opening will help offset this total amount anyways. That’s what we need to find out,” he exclaimed.
The model includes hiring an additional 300 RCMP officers and 200 administrative staff to be placed in detachments across the province, a goal the MD isn’t sure the province will be able to fulfill.
According to Coun. Mike Krywiak, Alberta is already short more than 200 officers.
“The demand is there, but whether or not they can come up with the supply is a good question,” noted Sawchuk.
Regardless of whether those positions are filled, Mercier confirmed the MD would still be paying the full price.
“We've been short over 200 police officers for a number of years, not just this last year, but a number of years,” Krywiak stressed. “If they can’t fill in those 200 positions, there’s no way they’re going to get another 300.”
Council was also left wondering whether the province would be hiring 200 administrative staff whether or not they’ve fulfilled their officer commitment, as well as why they’ve been told previously the MD doesn’t qualify for their own policing service while other communities do.
“There are a bunch of municipalities who won’t have to pay this cost because they have their own policing, well how can they possibly get their own policing when we’ve been asking for years… and we’re told we can’t?” stated Coun. Dana Swigart.
“I think those are questions we should be writing a letter to the Solicitor General about, saying ‘we already know you’re 250 officers short… why do you expect you will now be able to hire 550 new people?’” he added. “Again, they’re not telling the whole truth. They’re asking for funding when they won’t even be able to fill those positions.”
With this in mind, council agreed to pen a letter to the Solicitor General outlining their questions and concerns.
Meagan MacEachern, Bonnyville Nouvelle