ST. PAUL – Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis answered questions from public servants and local politicians on a range of issues related to public safety and emergency services during a townhall visit to St. Paul on March 24.
The town hall was attended mostly by first-responder representatives and local politicians and required registration ahead of the Friday evening event.
Municipal police service
County of St. Paul Reeve Glen Ockerman shared his concerns regarding the cost of police services for municipalities, may it be of a provincial or a municipal police force.
“There’s only one reassurance I need as an elected official – what’s the cost?” asked Ockerman.
Ellis said the provincial government encourages municipalities to apply for provincial grants made available to conduct their own feasibility study of developing a municipal police service. He noted the City of Grande Prairie, for example, decided in early March to create its own police service, replacing the RCMP, following a feasibility study.
“It’s not about telling anybody what to do, but putting the power back in your hands,” said Ellis.
Ockerman referred to the $27.3 million in funding being directed toward Alberta Sheriffs, and asked if municipalities, for example, that may have no need for sheriffs – could still access the funding for other policing purposes.
According to Ellis, the funding is aimed at helping and augmenting the RCMP with policing.
Budget
Town of St. Paul CAO Steven Jeffery also asked if the provincial government could provide support or, at the very least, help advocate on the St. Paul community’s behalf for further grants to help offset policing costs.
“It’s not sustainable [for the Town of St. Paul] to pay for the contract policing we currently have. The funding model is broken and that’s the reality,” said Jefferey, noting that the Town is seeing about $9 million in taxation and $2 million of that is being spent on contract policing.
Coming from Budget 2023, Jeffery said only about $50,000 can be accessed by the town to help pay for policing. “We need more.”
Ellis acknowledged the challenge and stated, “We can look into that a little further.”
Ellis also stated other challenges with the RCMP including recruitment and staff challenges, “and that’s why we’re trying to think outside the box... of ways in order to augment the current [policing] model we have here in Alberta.”
Insurance
Dave Amyotte, deputy mayor for the Summer Village of Horseshoe Bay, echoed the concerns of other municipalities regarding policing. Policing, according to Amyotte, is a big issue fiscally for the Village.
Amyotte added that rural crime also affects small business owners. He explained that in addition to businesses already losing money to theft, their insurance is going up because of the thefts.
As a business owner, he said that he himself has experienced losses due to theft in the past. Loses include two welding rigs, along with staff members having their vehicle stolen, which all results in insurance premiums going up.
“We couldn’t make money. We lost 50 per cent of the tools... we replaced the truck and it got stolen,” he explained. “Is there a pressure [being put on] the insurance industry to get this under control... or do they get to keep raising their rates and we just get to keep paying?” asked Amyotte.
Ellis said, “This is why again, we’re trying to augment support for the RCMP. It’s about having more boots on the ground.” He reiterated that with more support from Alberta Sheriffs, the RCMP would have more time to patrol communities.
In addition, more policing personnels will also act as a deterrent for crimes.
Cycle of repeat offenders
Coun. Marg Laberge of Horseshoe Bay brought up her concerns regarding the province’s justice system.
“You talk about putting more boots on the street. What is that going to help really, when the justice system keeps letting them back out?” she asked.
Coun. Kevin Wirsta with the County of St. Paul affirmed that changes needed to be made with the justice system to stop the “revolving door” of repeat offenders. Wirsta noted that even if the RCMP hires more people, it will not stop repeat offenders from going back into the community to commit further crimes.
Ellis acknowledged there is a problem with the justice system, noting Bill C-75's amendments to bail provisions as an example of why this is happening. He explained the bill makes it easier for offenders to be released on bail, resulting in crimes “getting out of control [and] violent offenders committing more crimes.”
According to Ellis, the provincial government is lobbying the federal government, asking them to make “substantive and immediate changes that are going to stop that cycle of repeat offenders that are being released,” which involves a request to repeal Bill C-75.
Ellis added that a relevant component to repeat offenders are people with “severe mental health and addiction” issues. “You can’t ignore that. So, it is a very complex issue that has a lot of moving parts,” like prosecutors, the police, as well as the federal government.
“We’re trying to create a system of care, hitting it from multiple angles,” said the minister.
